


Neko Hiro

by Cerberus_Revised



Category: Junjou Romantica
Genre: Cat/Human Hybrids, Humor on occasion odd as this sounds, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, M/M, Master/Pet, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Physical Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Rape/Non-con Elements, Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-30
Updated: 2016-07-15
Packaged: 2018-07-19 03:30:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 14
Words: 22,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7343017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cerberus_Revised/pseuds/Cerberus_Revised
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Neko Hiroki runs away from Akihiko when his author owner brings home a Misaki kitten. Caught by the pound and sold as feral, Hiroki ends up with a cruel new owner. Will anyone save him? AU, some OC and OOCness, All JR couples appear. Contains mature themes and some violence. Tenderness and romantic fluff interspersed.</p><p>Originally posted on Fanfiction.net beginning 7/9/2011 under my penname "Don't Preach."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Master: Introduction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Junjou Romantica or any of its characters.
> 
> Also, I apologize for any OOCness. But its nekoland, so some adjustments had to be made.

Hiroki burst through the door, panting. He looked at his watch again for about the fiftieth time in the last ten minutes.

_Shit._

He was going to end up being unprepared and late again like he had been the day before if he wasn't careful. Remembering the consequences of that, his tail began to twitch nervously and he felt his ears droop.

After taking off his shoes, he hung his things up by the door. Then he slipped into the bathroom and in there, slipped out of his clothes; putting the dirty ones in the hamper; carefully folding the others and putting them on a hanger and returning this to its holder on the back of the door.

As he shrugged off his shirt, he still felt stiff, though thankfully not as bad as he had that morning. The pain in his shoulders and his backside had almost affected his ability to give his lectures and that would have been terrible. Although there were times that his students annoyed him with their thick-headedness, he really enjoyed teaching and was immensely grateful his new master still allowed him to do it.

Sometimes, when his pupils were particularly obtuse, he wished he could reprimand them properly, but he was only a neko after all. He was really quite lucky actually that he had as much control over his class as he did. That they were so well behaved spoke highly of him as a teacher. Not many hybrids got to teach, especially at a college level, and even more particularly, mixed human and hybrid classes. He'd known a number who'd tried and had to give up because their human students refused to respect them.

He'd even heard of one poor hybrid professor who had been beaten and then gang raped by his class. The thought made Hiroki shudder.

Yes, he was fortunate indeed, at least in this one aspect of his life, even more so recently. The manager of the Languages and Arts division at M University, Dean Takatsuki, had called him in for an unexpected meeting yesterday afternoon and he hadn't dared refuse.

It turned out to be a good thing too. There the Dean informed him that he been selected for promotion. Next semester he would also be leading more than just the introductory classes and would be able to finally teach in an area of his interest. Not only had he been promoted however, but  he was also going to be an assistant to a senior professor as well. This meant he would be much more secure in his job at "M" University and safer too.

_That is, if master allows me to accept the promotion._

Perhaps unwisely, he had already accepted a meeting with his new supervisor next week, Miyagi was his name.  Hiroki hoped Miyagi was agreeable.

Though he had been at his post for two years, Hiroki spent so much time on his classes and at his home (like most hybrids who were allowed to work) he'd never socialized much. For this reason, there were many faculty at the large University, even within his own department, like Miyagi, he had never met. Still, he had heard many students speak highly of the senior professor, so he knew Miyagi was a good teacher.

Unfortunately this didn't offer him any clues as to how the man felt about nekos, or how he would respond to having a hybrid junior.

Hiroki turned and looked at his back in the mirror. The sight of all the red welts on his bare shoulders and the angry bruises on the cheeks of his backside made his ears flatten even further.

The professorial neko still didn't feel he'd deserved such a beating. He wished he'd had a chance to explain to his master why he'd been late with dinner last night but the man had been so mad he had forbidden him to speak at all.

Realizing he was wasting time with this reverie, and not wanting a repeat of the previous evening, Hiroki set these thoughts to the side. He had only been with this new master for a few months and had been almost constantly in trouble. It didn't help that the man was difficult to please.

Hiroki began hurriedly preparing himself. He took two enemas out of the cupboard under the sink and used one after the other to make sure he was clean on the inside.

Then he jumped quickly into the shower being careful that every other part that his master specified was attended to correctly. Once he was out, he put in the nipple rings that he'd been instructed to wear and replaced the lighter piercing in his cock with the heavy ring that had been laid out for him on the counter of the sink.

The piercings were relatively new and they were still painful. It didn't help that his owner had a penchant for twisting them. Still, Hiroki supposed he should be grateful that his master did not demand that he wear the nipple adornments or the weighted cock ring outside of the apartment, since they would have been visible under his clothes.

_That would certainly wouldn't help me maintain the respect of my students... having my pupils know so clearly that I am someone's 'sex pet.'_

Looking at himself in the mirror again now, a hot blush of humiliation rise into Hiroki's cheeks. He despised the body jewelry. He reminded himself his master hated it when he blushed. Unfortunately, this just made his color intensify.

Dropping his gaze from his reflection, Hiroki replaced his lighter work collar with the uncomfortable heavy, stiff, black leather one he was forced to wear whenever he was at home. It rubbed the base of his neck fiercely and he knew that eventually the chafe marks it was making on his sensitive skin would scar.

_Perhaps this will remind me of how stupid I was for running away._

The shame of his disgraceful past actions filled him. Hot tears well up in Hiroki's eyes and his tail wrapped itself sadly around one of his legs.

* * *

Before this new master, Hirokihad lived for yearswith the heir to the multinational Usami Corporation and novelist, Usami Akihiko.

Akihiko had bought him when he was just out of kittenhood. Actually, they had first become friends when they were both ten years-old after meeting one day in a secret place on the wooded Usami estate where they both went to hide. Hiroki's breeder's own estate was nearby and he was always slipping off to escape his rambunctious litter-mates.

They had bonded with each other, too young at the time to fully understand how truly different they were and how society had its paths for each of them already immutably established. Despite, or perhaps because of this, Akihiko had bought Hiroki as soon as he was of legal age to be sold, which for individual hybrid ownership was age eighteen.

There were many illegal operations that trafficked in hybrids at much younger ages, however. And common breeds of the genetic human/animal mixes, for low skilled labor positions, could also be purchased for work at the age of twelve by factories and corporations. Though these purchases were generally made from large commercial breeding operations.

Usami had brokered the deal with Hiroki's breeder sometime before his companion came of age, to ensure that no one else would buy the cinnamon-haired hybrid. Actually Hiroki's breeder had been only too happy to sell the Kamijou kitten then. She had been worried that she was going to have a hard time placing the incredibly intelligent neko, as he was moody in his brilliance and given to periodic tantrums.

He also didn't socialize well and liked reading entirely too much. And while the Kamijou breed was known for its pride, Hiroki's pride as he grew had become a precarious thing.

Once he'd become officially Akihiko's property, not too much in their relationship really changed. As an owner, Akihiko was always very lenient with his pet. He allowed his curious neko to read as much as he wanted, even encouraged him go to college and have his own job. He honored his hybrid by offering Hiroki the opportunity to proofread his novels for him before they went to his human editor.

In fact, Akihiko rarely treated Hiroki like a pet and only made him wear a collar for his own protection when he went out. Yes, for all the years he'd had kept him, Akihiko regarded Hiroki as he had when they were children: if not entirely as an equal, at least more or less as a friend.

Unfortunately, this was not enough for Hiroki.

Even with all these rarities, he wanted more. He longed to be Akihiko's lover too, to experience the feel of his master's flesh. But more than being a 'sex pet' Hiroki desired above all things for Akihiko to truly love him. Secretly he'd loved Akihiko from the time they first met, but Akihiko never cared for him in that way and instead fell in love with another neko.

For a long time there had been strict rules in Japan that an individual citizen could not own more than one neko, only specially licensed breeders or companies using neko labor could have multiple feline hybrids. A viral outbreak had decimated the population world-wide some decades earlier and so, for many years, there just weren't enough nekos to go around.

During this time Akihiko had seen a Takahashi breed neko named Takahiro in a shop and fell completely in love with him at first sight. Hiroki knew this because he'd had the misfortune of being out with Akihiko at the time.

It had been crushing to witness.

After that, Akihiko went to see the sweet stupid Takahashi neko at the shop every day. Hiroki had worried that Akihiko would take him to a shelter, so he could adopt Takahiro, but he hadn't. Akihiko had been faithful to him. Akihiko had been heartbroken, however, when some woman finally bought the simple-minded Takahashi cat.

He'd tried to help Akihiko get over it. Despite the pain of his unrequited love, the cinnamon hybrid wished to please his master/friend, far more than he knew had been already programmed into his genes, somewhere under his recalcitrant temperament.

This time of grief for Akihiko had coincided with the start of a neko heat season. Hiroki convinced his owner not to lock him up as he usually did when his pet was going through one of his "heat" cycles. (Though they could not conceive, there was a genetic quirk that caused uke, male nekos to go into heat once a year like a female, though lady nekos cycled twice.)

After persuading Akihiko be blindfolded and assured his master/friend he'd pleasure him as well any skilled sex pet. He even offered to pretend to be the Takahashi neko so that Akihiko, in his sightlessness, could pretend he was touching the neko he loved.

With this arrangement, Hiroki had been happy too that he would not have to go through yet another agonizing celibate heat alone and unfulfilled. He'd also had held the egotistical hope that this plan might entice Akihiko to finally love him.

But it didn't work.

And in the end, it only damaged them both: Akihiko, because he longed for his real love even more and Hiroki because he knew at last Akihiko would never love him.

Now the virus had been under control for some time and in Japan, nekos were mandatorily vaccinated for it yearly, along with their rabies and distemper. Due to a swing in the Nippon neko population pendulum as a result of the virus's containment, the one neko rule for private citizens had been lifted just two years before.

Though he knew this, Hiroki had been shocked six months ago to come home from work and find that Akihiko had, without telling him, brought home a kitten. A lovely young chocolate neko with huge green eyes.

Its name was Misaki.

Misaki vacillated between states of brashness and shyness that seemed to entrance Akihiko. Hiroki secretly thought the kitten was nothing more than a terrible tease. Still, he'd supposed he might eventually get used to the horribly cute brat, until he found out that Misaki was also a Takahashi neko and, in fact, Takahiro's younger brother. Then he discovered Akihiko had also made a similar arrangement to buy Misaki as he had him, paying for Misaki before he came of age, even before the one-neko ban had been lifted.

That his unrequited had planned this secretly, devastated and Hierki lost the control he'd been holding on to so desperately. Finally, in a heated argument with Akihiko about this, the professorial hybrid had actually lashed out and scratched his master and then attacked the chocolate kitten who had been standing frozen next to him.

He had bitten Misaki badly before Akihiko finally pulled him off and ordered him in to room. There Akihiko locked his first pet away to cool off. Incensed by this further humiliation and at the same time overcome with his disgraceful loss of control, Hiroki decided then and there to run away and he had.

He'd left the collar with his hybrid registration number on it on the bed, took just a few of his things in a bag, climbed out the window, crawled onto the apartment balcony, and then, let himself out from the inside while Akihiko was taking Misaki to the vet.

Though his pride would never allow him to admit this, being a runaway neko was very frightening. Hiroki had never lived on his own before and it was illegal to be a stray. He'd kept going to work despite the fact he was a runaway, terrified each day that Akihiko would call Dean Takatsuki and tell his boss what he had done or show up at one of his classes to drag him home.

Akihiko never did.

This hurt Hiroki far worse than if Akihiko had done these things.

Out on the streets Hiroki made himself a collar and passable forged tag for going to work. He'd had some money, because Akihiko had always let him keep his paychecks, but he'd been forced to live on the streets anyways. It was rare for even emancipated hybrids to find independent housing and _no one_ was going to rent to an illegal runaway neko.

Hiroki had managed for three months on his own.

It was hard having to grade by the light of street lamps and he'd almost been caught and beaten by true feral nekos a few times, but he been surviving. Then one night, there was a raid on the park he'd been camping out in and he and about fifteen other wild and runaway hybrids had been caught.

At the processing station at the Hybrid Humane Society, because he was still wearing a collar, even if it didn't have ID (fortunately his false tag had come off as he'd tried to escape), Hiroki been allowed one phone call.

He could have called Akihiko and his master would have probably come and picked him up, but the neko had his pride.

Instead, foolishly, thinking that he could somehow resolve the situation on his own, Hiroki had called and left a message for Dean Takatsuki, telling him that he had gotten a rare breakthrough heat cycle and would not be at work for at a week. Fortunately, it was almost spring break, so he would only miss a few classes.

Hiroki had thought this would give him enough time to clear up the mess he was in without anyone having to know. What he hadn't realized, however, was that he and the other captured neko hybrids were up for quick auction three days after being caught, after a checkup and vaccinations, because now there were so many nekos all of the hybrid shelters had reached their capacity in term of neko quota. Hiroki had been shocked to learn this, but by then it was too late. He was not allowed any more phone calls.

Being put on the auction block had been a horrible experience.

It was standard for pets at auction to be naked so that their potential owners could see what they were buying. Coming from a private breeder, and purchased as he was, the cinnamon neko had never had to endure such a degrading experience before.

Despite his animal ancestry, Hiroki had always been rather private about his body. To be revealed in this way and then openly scrutinized dealt a severe blow to his pride. That most of the people there to buy the bargain nekos were a rough lot didn't make things any better.

While some of the other runaway nekos had tried to act cute and submissive despite this, in the hopes of brokering favor, Hiroki found he could not help but scowl and hiss. His ears pinned back, his tail fluffed.

Seeing this, the auctioneer declared him a true feral, who would need someone with a keen interest in training/taming to control "the fiery Kamijou cat."

Hiroki's pride had fallen further when only two people bid on him. But he tried to rationalize that, in addition to being labeled feral, he was also well into his twenties, far past the point when nekos were considered cute. Not to mention most people preferred getting kittens so they could train them to fit their specific needs.

But under these rationalizations, Hiroki had also secretly come to believe during his time with Akihiko that there was something essentially flawed and undesirable about him. Otherwise wouldn't his master/friend have come to love him or at least wanted to use him properly, given the number of years they had known each other?

Having his suspicions affirmed in this way at the auction had been particularly painful.

In the end he was finally sold and Hiroki had been relieved that it was the nicer looking of the two men bidding on him who bought him. Things seemed even better when helearned he was to be the man's pet and was not being shipped off to work in a brothel or some dank factory.

On the way home, the man had told him that he was training to be a doctor and worked in the children's ward at a nearby hospital.

Hiroki was rather impressed as the man seemed young to be already so involved in such a demanding career track. When he'd told his new owner in exchange that he was a Junior Professor of Literature at M University he was delighted that the man immediately declared that he could keep working.

Hiroki had felt his spirits rise for the first time in months.

His new owner had laughed and teased him all the way home and while it was slightly annoying, Hiroki thought that this new arrangement might not be too bad after all. It also offered him some hope that, since his new owner seemed to be an agreeable man, he might still be able to find a way out of his terrible situation and back to Akihiko.

It had not taken Hiroki long, however, once they reached his new master's apartment to realize just how premature that hope had been.

* * *

With his heavy collar on and his piercings in place, Hiroki undertook the last part of his nightly preparation.

He took the tube of greasy lube out of the bottom drawer of the vanity and prepared his orifice for its nightly abuse. He winced as his finger went in, he was still so sore from last night, despite uke nekos fast, natural recovery abilities for this passage.

Even so, he was glad that he was finally being allowed to slick himself before entry. Kamijou uke nekos, unlike some other neko breeds, only self-lubricated near or during their heat cycles and when his new owner had first started taking him, the only lubricant he'd had was the man's spit and the blood from his own torn tissues.

Finally ready, Hiroki went out into the kitchen to begin making dinner.

Naked under the apron he wore, the neko trembled as he waited for his meal to finish baking. He had prepared every dish that his master had ordered. Still, he wasn't a very good cook, or housekeeper for that matter. These qualities were expected to be standard in pets, but he'd never had to do those things when he'd lived with Akihiko: the author had a maid service he used periodically so that he and Hiroki could focus on their work and they had eaten take out almost every meal.

Hiroki's tears welled again and this time, begin to fall. He wiped them back with the oven mitt.

Ever since he was a kitten, he'd been accused of being an overly-emotional hybrid but it seemed like he cried so much more now. He knew he had to stop or he would have red eyes and a red nose when his master came home and that would make the man angry. His owner said when he looked like that he was even uglier than normal.

It was hard not to weep though. He had been punished every day since arriving in his new master's home for all his perceived shortcomings.

While, as a neko, maintaining his confidence had been a constant battle and his fierce pride was often a show, over the last few months, what little true self-esteem he'd had had been all but beaten and fucked out of him. The result of this was a very different Kamijou cat than Akihiko had known.

While he was desperately working to keep the horror of his new situation from becoming apparent at work, Hiroki was also trying very hard to be good and please his master. The places his new owner promised to sell him too if he didn't was more than enough to see to that.

No matter what he did, however, he always seemed to fail. Just the previous week, in fact, the man had yelled at him for being too submissive, for not being the challenge to break that he had been promised by the auctioneer and had threatened to take him into a shelter and have him put down. Hiroki had been curled into a ball on the floor at the time of this threat, absorbing the man's angry kicks as this was shouted this at him.

One might think that in such a situation, Hiroki would have simply called Akihiko and asked his old owner to forgive him and come and buy him back. In fact, there were numerous times at the university that his fingers had hovered over the buttons of the payphone in the hybrid lounge at the University.

However, the original Kamijou cats had been the pets of samurai and Hiroki held this fact in high esteem.

For this reason, he could not bring himself to beg. Likewise, in his mind, since he had dishonored himself and fled his true master, he believed he must endure the fate he now had. And when his new master had threatened him with death, he almost felt relieved. He had actually begun to wonder if death might not be preferable to his current situation. Accepting such a fate could almost be interpreted as a form of neko seppuku.

Instead of taking him to a shelter, however, the man had beat Hiroki severely and then done some other unspeakable things to him. As Hiroki took the last dish out of the oven, his hands trembled at this recollection. He forced them to steady and went to finish setting the table.

He set it for two people.

His stomach growled at him and he had to remind it that neither of these plates was for him. He only got to eat if he was fed by his master's hand or from his cracked dish on the floor if the man was too busy to take the time to do this, which seemed to happen often.

Though he had always been on the slender side, the professorial neko was much skinnier now after three months with his new owner. His master taunted him about this and said his thinness too made him unattractive, but that didn't mean he felt moved to feed Hiroki any more.

Tail swishing nervously, he studied the tall Western-style table, the two two place settings increasing his unease.

Everything was done, Hiroki took off the apron and put it away.

 _Maybe master is going to make me perform for one of his 'friends' like he did last week. Or even worse, sell me for the evening to someone again_.

He was already giving his owner all of his paycheck, but the man said he needed more and had started pimping him out lately. Hiroki's empty stomach was suddenly too full with a heavy lump of fear.

Moving over to the ring by the door where his lead was attached, he clipped it on to his collar. Hiroki knelt down on the floor to wait for his owner to arrive home. The apartment was cold and Hiroki was chilled, as usual, but that was not the only reason that he was shaking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, so much background information! If you made it through this, I promise, the rest of the story reads much more easily.
> 
> I am really happy to be moving this fic over at last and hope you enjoy it. Thank you for reading.


	2. Stranger

 

* * *

Hiroki had not been kneeling long at his post before he heard a key strike the lock in the door. Although he wanted desperately to be brave, he felt his traitorous tail slink down between his naked thighs. The door opened, and the apartment's entry way was suddenly filled with the rich sound of his master's laugh, accompanied by the slightly lower pitch of another man. Hiroki didn't dare look up to see who it might be, but his keen ears didn't recognize the voice as anyone his owner had previously brought home **.**

Both men's laughter stopped abruptly when they saw him waiting humbly in the entryway.

"Well, nice to see you are where you're supposed to be for once." His master's tone was extremely sarcastic, though yesterday had actually been first time since his owner had bought Hiroki, that he hadn't been at his post on time.

"Oh, I didn't know you owned a neko, Senpai." This was the voice of the other man, it sounded sweet and warm and maybe even bit uncomfortable.

Hiroki wanted very much to look at the owner of these soothing sounds, but stayed still instead.

"I haven't had him long, only a few months… Not sure I would have gotten him if I'd known what a pain in the ass he would be. Wait, don't tell me you're allergic or one of those anti-pet people? I can lock him in my room if he makes you uncomfortable. Besides, I know he's not much to look at. But I didn't get him to look at him, if you know what I mean."

Hiroki's ears had pricked up slightly at the pleasant sound of the visitor's voice, but they flattened back down immediately when he heard his master's disdain.

"Ah, no, Senpai, sorry. Please don't go to any trouble on my account. I am just not used to pets. There's no need to send him away. He's kind of cute, really."

At these last words, Hiroki's tail gave an unconscious twitch.

"Is he okay though? He looks like he's been injured. That's quite a number of contusions he has on his shoulders."

At the stranger's observation the cinnamon neko felt himself blush all the way to the tips of his furry ears .

"What? No. He's fine," Hiroki's master assured his guest, as he un-clipped his collar from its lead. "So he has a few bruises. Nekos are hearty and it's his own fault he has them: he's just fucking clumsy for a catman. No feline grace.

"Right, Pet?"

The man nudged Hiroki's knee with the tip of his shoe. Hiroki remained silent and set his fingers to work on loosening the double knots tied in his owner's shoelaces.

"Some of those marks look like they're from a strap," the newcomer ventured cautiously.

"Oh, those? Well, yeah, there are a few of those I suppose. But you have to understand, he was feral when I bought him and he's been super difficult to train. Besides, being hybrid, the pain tolerance is very high. Sometimes a good smack is the only way to get his attention."

Hiroki breathed an inward sigh of relief when the visitor remained sagely silent at these remarks. It was considered impolite to question a human's choice of discipline for his pet and he desperately wanted to keep the mood light in the apartment that night.

After being helped out of his shoes, Hiroki's owner walked into the front room and flopped down on the couch. Hiroki reached out tentatively then for the shoes of their guest. He pulled back, frightened, however, when he found his hand unexpectedly grasped by a much larger one.

Wincing, despite the fact the unseen man's grip was very light, Hiroki braced himself in anticipation of the coming blows, but none fell. Instead, he felt another large hand on his chin lifting his face up. The scared neko found himself suddenly looking into the kindest pair of dark-blue eyes he had ever seen.

"That's okay, thank you." The tall, black-haired man smiled, "I'll get them myself."

The visitor released him and Hiroki watched him slip out of his shoes. As he walked past the kneeling neko into the main room the man reached out and, as if it was the most natural action, softly ruffled Hiroki's head.

"Honestly, Nowaki, you should let him do that for you. It's about one of the only things he does well."

Hiroki fought not to shrink as his owner shot him a severe look. His master picked up the remote and turned on the T.V., settling deeper into his couch before looking back to his companion and motioning to an adjacent chair.

"Do you want something to drink, Nowaki? A beer maybe?"

"I don't normally drink, but yes, a beer would be fine, thank you, Senpai." Nowaki sank carefully down onto the chair, folding up his long legs. He peered over his shoulder at neko still huddled in the doorway.

Hiroki's owner followed his gaze and frowned. "Hiro, get off your ass and bring us a couple of beers! And put your apron on while you're in the kitchen, I don't want to have to look at you naked while I'm eating tonight. I might lose my appetite."

In truth, however, given Nowaki's concern over the marks on his pet's shoulders Hiroki's owner was hoping the apron would cover the evidence of some of the neko's more severe marks. He was slightly annoyed, since none of the other guys he'd brought over had ever seemed to mind. Some even happily contributed to his hybrid's catalog of marks. But of course, those men were there for other reasons than Nowaki was.

"Yes, Master Tsumori." Hiroki hurried to comply. Despite his owner's cruel words, he was immensely grateful for the covering, however scant.

"Hiro is his name?" Nowaki asked, watching as the naked neko darted into the kitchen, quickly tied on an apron and retrieved two beers from the refrigerator.

"It was Hiroki, or something like that, but the extra syllable just seemed like too much trouble," Tsumori joked. He turned his attention to flipping through the channels to locate the baseball game he had invited Nowaki over to watch.

Hiroki brought Tsumori his beer.

"Get out of the way, Cat, you're blocking the screen!" Tsumori snatched his beer from his neko's shaking hand. "And you should have offered one to my guest first, Idiot!"

A bright flush filled Hiroki's cheeks at the truth of Tsumori's criticism. He took the remaining bottle and stepped over to Nowaki offering him the bottle with a low bow.

"Tsumori-sama is right, of course," Hiroki said softly. "Please forgive my inconsiderateness,"

"Thank you, Hiro-san. No harm done though. Okay?" Nowaki replied kindly, looking Hiroki in the eye as the embarrassed neko straightened. As he gently took his bottle from Hiroki, their fingers touched.

Hiroki's chilled flesh suddenly felt warm.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha! I bet you thought I was going to make Nowaki the bad guy. No way! For anyone who likes Tsumori… again, sorry for the OOC-ness.
> 
> Thank you for reading and reviewing and so great to hear from old friends!


	3. Dinner

Hiroki drew his hand back, though he really didn't want to.

_Nowaki's skin is so warm._

The shy neko shifted uncomfortably as he felt similar warmth emanating from the dark-blue eyes that were studying him curiously. A snort sounded from the direction of the couch.

"Nowaki, there's no reason to be formal with Hiro, he's just a neko."

"Well, I think 'Hiro-san' suits him." Nowaki gave Hiroki other encouraging smile. "Do you mind if I call him that, Senpai?"

"Call him whatever you want, big guy." Tsumori was already engrossed in the game. "I imagine at this point, he's probably about heard it all."

The pleasant blush that had crept into Hiroki's cheeks at Nowaki's comment deepened into a flush of shame at his master's words. He was terribly embarrassed. Nowaki looked at him for just a moment more and then back to the man seated on the couch.

Watching Tsumori reclining in ease with no thought about how his words had hurt his pet, Nowaki's eyes narrowed with quiet anger.

"Hiro!" Tsumori barked.

Hiroki had started backing away, trying to make it to his appointed corner in the room where he could sit down, and hopefully, if he was quiet enough, become invisible for the remainder of the evening. Unfortunately, it appeared this was not going to be the case.

"Yes, Tsumori-sama?"

"We'll take our dinner here tonight. Dish it up and bring it over, and get me another beer while you're at it."

"Yes, Master."

Already Hiroki was growing more nervous. Tsumori had been home for less than twenty minutes and already he'd had two beers. The neko professor had learned early on that while sober his master was a tyrant, but when Tsumori got drunk…

As soon as he was in the kitchen, he began putting his Master's plate together. A minute later Hiroki was surprised when Nowaki stood up, snagged his plate off the table, and came into the kitchen too.

"Do you mind if I dish myself up, Hiro-san? I'm kind of funny that way."

Looking up at their guest, Hiroki had rarely seen anyone so tall.

"N-no, of course not, ummm... Master Nowaki." Hiroki was truly flustered now: Tsumori hadn't instructed him on how to address Nowaki as he often did with his other "guests" and he did not want to offend him.

"My name is Kusama Nowaki, but you can just call me Nowaki." Nowaki smiled down as he spooned some rice onto his dish. "This food looks really good, Hiro-san."

"Thank you, Nowaki-san," Hiroki choked before hurriedly turning and leaving the kitchen. No one had ever complimented his food before and he didn't want Nowaki to see the tears that had welled up in his eyes.

When he served Tsumori, his owner took one look at the carefully arranged plate and sneered. Tsumori called out to Nowaki who had just come back and was settling himself into his chair.

"Sorry about the food, Nowaki. The cat can't cook for crap."

"I think it actually looks quite good, Senpai." Nowaki smiled at Hiroki again. Then out of the corner of his eye, he caught Tsumori's dark look and watched the cinnamon neko immediately tense.

Being a perceptive person, despite his seemingly easy going nature, Nowaki suddenly realized that his compliments might get Tsumori's poor pet in trouble later. Hastily he added with a light chuckle. "But then I eat so much of that terrible food at the hospital, I guess almost anything would taste better,"

He sighed inwardly in relief when these words made both neko and owner visibly relax.

Knowing that despite how tense things had been things would only likely get more unpleasant as the evening wore on, Hiroki to a chance and nervously addressed his owner.

"Tsumori-sama?"

"What!" Tsumori's eyes were glued on the television set; shoveling large bites of food into his mouth, despite the fact he'd said it was awful.

"Would it be okay if I did some grading? Please? Hiroki was afraid to ask, but after last night, he was in danger of falling behind. "I have a lot of essays to look at for my students."

"Fine, but be quiet about it. I don't want to spend my whole night listening to a bunch of rattling papers."

Nowaki watched the hybrid walk to the hall and get his book bag. It made him sad to see how droopy the poor catman's ears were and his tail was so listless. Then Hiroki's apron opened a bit in the back as he moved and Nowaki saw the terrible bruises on the pale skin of the neko's bare bottom.

Hiroki was on his way back to his corner when Nowaki stopped him as he passed by his chair.

"So, you are a teacher, Hiro-san?"

Before coming to stay with Tsumori, Hiroki would have probably said something snappy in response about how foolish the question was after he had just said he had students. But living as he had for the last three months, he had learned the hard way that he must temper his tongue.

"I teach Japanese literature at 'M' university, Nowaki-san." Hiroki tried hard not to sound prideful.

"Really, Hiro-san?" Nowaki was impressed: education had always been very important to him. "I know some working hybrids. We have a number that do maintenance and custodial things at the hospital, but I had no idea that a Neko-hybrid could be a professor."

"Ha!" Tsumori butted into their conversation. "It's not like he teaches anything that difficult, just a bunch of introductory courses."

Because of Nowaki's presence, Hiroki was feeling bolstered.

"Actually, Tsumori-sama, the Dean offered me a promotion yesterday." When his owner didn't respond Hiroki added, being sure not to sound righteous, "that's why I was late. Dean Takatsuki called me into his office after my lectures because he wanted to offer me the chance to teach some advanced classes next semester." Hiroki rushed to get his words out before his master cut him off, "and to be an assistant to one of the regular professors."

"I have the permission slip in my bag for you to sign that says I can do it." It hurt Hiroki's pride to have to say this, but Nekos had to get their owner's permission for advancement, especially if their new duties might take them away from their responsibilities at home.

Suddenly Tsumori was more interested in his pet than the baseball game. His eyes glinted.

"So how much more will they be paying you?"

"Nothing at first," Hiroki admitted, but then added quickly, "but if I do well, I could get a raise later." Hybrids were paid much lower wages than humans and advancement even for the most ambitious was hard. "Besides, it's a tremendous honor to be asked."

Unfortunately, it was immediately clear Tsumori care little about honor.

"If they're not paying you more, no! I'm not signing anything. Your post hardly brings any money as it is and distracts you from your duties here enough already! In fact, I've been wondering if I should even let you keep teaching at all after this semester. I think there are better ways that you could bring money into this household.

"Now go get into your corner!"

Humiliated to have such things said in front of Nowaki, Hiroki slunk over to the corner and sat down. He waited for Tsumori to get interested in the ball game again, before he even tried opening his bag, all the while trying to tell himself he should be glad that his master had not been so mad that he'd stopped him from doing his grading. The tactic did little to assuage him however, and as he _very_ quietly looked through his students' papers, Hiroki found it was hard to read tonight. His eyes kept blurring as he tried to keep from crying.

Honestly, he didn't know what he would do if Tsumori made him quit teaching. It was all that was keeping him sane at the moment. And then there was the whole issue of the _other ways_ his master thought he could make money. Hiroki's tail unconsciously wrapped up around his waist and curled against his belly, trying to warm away the cold fear that gripped him there.

* * *

Across the room from the poor catman, Nowaki was having a very difficult time. Though still trying to eat all of the dinner that Hiroki had worked so hard to prepare, he had lost his appetite. Not the least of the reasons for this was how very disturbing it was to see this side of his senpai. While at work, it was true that Tsumori had always been rather coarse and given to the hard teasing of his subordinates, still, Nowaki had more or less overlooked this because Tsumori was a good doctor and always seemed to put these traits on hold when he worked with the children.

Witnessing his senpai behave like this though, how he treated his poor pet, made Nowaki very upset. He wanted to do something to protect Hiro-san, but at the same time, he didn't want to disrespect or offend his senpai. After all, he had to work with Tsumori almost every day and the man was his superior. Plus, he had to wonder if what Tsumori had said about this pet was really true. For although he hardly seemed feral, perhaps Hiro-san was only behaving right now because there was a guest present.

At the same time, even so, Nowaki doubted a neko with feral tendencies would ever attain the rank of a professor. And even if the cute cinnamon hybrid had any feral inclinations, he could think of little anyone might do that would warrant the punishment clearly visible on Hiroki's lean body.

Tsumori needed another beer, but this time he'd decided he would get it himself. On his way into the kitchen, he made a show of scraping the few scraps that remained on his plate into Hiroki's cracked bowl.

"Dinner, Hiro," he called. Then he took a sixer out of the fridge and went back over to the couch, belching loudly as he sat down and opened a new bottle.

Nowaki had managed to eat almost all of his dinner because he did not want Hiroki to feel bad. Tsumori looked over at Nowaki's all but empty plate.

"Feel free to dump the scraps in Hiro's bowl. I hate to see even bad food go to waste."

Nowaki looked at the skinny neko sitting across the room. He'd heard the feline professor's empty tummy growling, though Hiroki made no attempt to go to his bowl. Instead, the neko's shaggy head was bent, over his papers, studiously not looking at either human. Nowaki could see the catman's hands shaking, the papers he held quivering.

"Actually, I think I like to have some more if that's okay, Senpai?"

"Suit yourself, Sport," Tsumori was on his fourth beer. "It's your stomach after all."

Nowaki piled some good-sized portions on his plate. He sat back down and pushed these around for about fifteen minutes with his chopsticks as the game continued and then got up and went to Hiroki's bowl.

Looking apologetically at Hiroki, he scraped the food into his dish. "Sorry, Hiro-san, I guess my eyes were bigger than my stomach. It really was pretty good though."

Rather than make the poor feline suffer the indignity of having to retrieve his food, Nowaki took the bowl over and offered it to the hungry hybrid with both hands.

Hiroki was so embarrassed by this unexpected kindness he wanted to shrink up and disappear.

"Thank you, Nowaki-san,"

Nowaki didn't say anything, he just ruffled Hiroki's head again, being careful of the catman's shyly lifting ears before returning to his seat.

Normally such an informal touch would have made Hiroki's tail fluff, but for a moment, he was reminded of how Akihiko had often stroked his head. Nowaki's hand held a similar quality, though his touch was much warmer.

Hiroki was pulled from these thoughts by the sound of Tsumori offering his guest another beer. He was immensely relieved when Nowaki politely declined. Turning his attention to the bowl in his hands, Hiroki began to eat before his master decided to take it away. Though he wanted nothing more than to wolf the food down, he was careful to pace himself. He  had always had very good table manners and besides, he didn't want Nowaki to know how truly hungry he was.

Tsumori's eyes were dark as he watched Hiroki delicately nibbling his food across the room."You know, Nowaki, it's a good thing you don't have a neko. You'd spoil it so much it would become impossible to control."

"You're probably right," Nowaki said mildly, not wanting to irritate his senpai further.

Finally, the game ended bringing the awkward evening to a close.

"I should get going, Senpai. I have to work tomorrow. Thank you for inviting me over to watch the game."

By this time, Tsumori was soundly drunk.

"Yeah, well, you know, I've been inviting you over for months, Nowaki... but I'm glad you finally came." Tsumori words were slurred as he spoke. Rising he staggered up and towards the bathroom. "Hold on just a minute, I gotta' take a piss and then I'll walk you to the door."

Nowaki rose too. While his senpai was gone, he simply stood there, watching how carefully Hiroki was putting his students' work into his book bag. The young intern just couldn't get over how sad the hybrid looked. After a few more moments of watching, he walked over and squatted down next to Hiroki. The neko startled, seeing him suddenly so close and down at his own level.

Leaning back a bit to give the neko more space, Nowaki kept his tone soft. "Thank you for the dinner, Hiro-san. You're really a good cook."

"You are too kind, Nowaki-san." Hiroki met his eyes for only a moment before dropping them. A hectic blush painted his cheeks. "I am very glad that you were here tonight."

Nowaki wondered about all the possible meanings hidden in Hiroki's nervous words. He wanted so much to comfort the neko. In the end however, rather than make Hiroki even more anxious he kept his desire to wrap the poor pet up in his arms and simply asked instead, "May I give you a pat goodnight?"

In the past such a patronizing question would have had Hiroki shouting and spitting in indignation. But it didn't seem to him that Nowaki was trying to demean him through his request. And, after all, he had Nowaki to thank for the first full belly he'd had in weeks. So instead of getting mad, Hiroki just bowed his head slightly to give the man access.

"Just please be careful of my ears, Nowaki-san; they're very sensitive."

"Of course." Nowaki smiled as he petted Hiroki's very soft, cinnamon-brown head. Both he and Hiroki were equally surprised when after what seemed like only a minute, a quiet purr could be heard brewing deep in the neko's chest. Hiroki pulled back from Nowaki's gentle hand. He blushed all the way down to his tail. Throughout his whole life, he rarely ever purred.

"Sorry, Nowaki-san."

"What are you sorry about, Hiro-san? I think you have a very cute purr." Nowaki laughed when this comment brought an involuntary scowl to the catman's face.

"Hey, Kusama!"

Tsumori had emerged from the bathroom and stood by the hallway entrance, not looking particularly pleased.

"Ah, yes, Senpai, I'm coming.

"Be good, Hiro-san. Maybe I'll see you again sometime."

* * *

Hiroki sadly watched the two men go down the hall.

He got up cautiously and began picking up the empty beer bottles from around the couch and carried them into the kitchen. When he heard the front door slammed he almost dropped them. Hurriedly he unloaded the bottles and had just finished putting the bottles down on the counter when Tsumori came barreling in. Without any warning, Tsumori strode over and slapped Hiroki hard, driving him to his knees.

"What the fuck was all that about?"

"I'm sorry, Tsumori-sama..." Hiroki began apologizing before he even really understood what he had done.

Tsumori gave Hiroki another hard slap, driving the neko to the floor. "I watched you, flirting with him the whole damn night!

"As if someone like Nowaki would ever be interested in a worthless mangy sack of bones like you. Maybe for a pity fuck, but nothing else. Well, if you're so hungry for someone's cock up your ass, let me oblige you." Grabbing Hiroki by his collar Tsumori started dragging the stunned neko towards the bedroom.

"Please, Tsumori-sama," Hiroki pleaded.Tears of pain and fear filled his eyes. "I'm sorry! I wasn't trying to flirt, I was just being polite to your guest."

"Shut up! I'll tell you when I want you to open your mouth, and what for! Besides, Kusama is mine!

 "By the time I get done with you tonight, you'll never forget that."

* * *

An hour later Hiroki felt his master's foot against his back as he was pushed out of the bed and onto the floor.

"Go clean up the kitchen, Hiro. You sleep in your corner tonight." Tsumori rolled over in the bed and was soon softly snoring.

It took Hiroki quite a while to even get the strength to move. He was covered with new welts and bruises. One of his eyes was almost swollen shut from where he had caught the full-force of one of Tsumori's slaps. More than bruises though, he was covered in bite marks and had a particularly nasty tear on one of his ears. Tsumori had pulled his tail so badly it felt broken and Hiroki ached all the way up into his stomach from some of the other things his master had done to him.

By the time he'd managed to get everything, including himself, cleaned up, Hiroki realized he had only a few hours before he had to get up and be ready for class. Laying down in his corner on the hard floor, cradling his tortured tail in his hands, Hiroki rubbed its soft tip over his bad eye.

He didn't think in the midst of his pain that he would ever be able to sleep, but then he suddenly thought of Nowaki's kind, blue eyes and warm gentle touch. Lids dropping, silent tears wetting his cheeks, Hiroki let these thought carry him into his troubled dreams.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	4. Morning

* * *

The next morning Hiroki was abruptly awakened by Tsumori throwing cold water on his bruised face.

This was a terrible way for anyone to be woken up, but for a catman, it was particularly awful. Hiroki sputtered with a start and went to sit up, but the moment he tried to move, the pain in his stiff, battered body roared through him, jolting him to consciousness far more than the water.

Despite trouble opening his swollen eye, he could see Tsumori's blurry feet in front of him. He braced himself waiting for a kick but it didn't come. Instead, his owner walked away, moving into the kitchen. Hiroki almost cried at the relief of this.

"Get up, Hiro!" Tsumori's receding voice ordered. "You are the hardest fucking animal to wake up I have ever known!

"That was the second time I tried to get you up. I had to make my own goddamn coffee this morning!"

"I'm sorry, Tsumori-sama." So sore he could barely move, Hiroki struggled to his feet .

"You look like…  like something the cat dragged in."

Tsumori laughed at his own joke. Then he put his hand up to the deep scratch that ran down one of his cheeks. Hiroki had done this at one point while he was thrashing about, trying to escape his assault the previous night.

Staring hard over his coffee cup at the shaking hybrid before him, Tsumori pursed his lips and blew at his steaming coffee before speaking. "I have to admit, Hiro; you got me good."

Hiroki stiffened in fear. Finally able to focus, he saw what he had done and heard the dangerous tone in Tsumori's voice. He cowered as Tsumori stepped back over to him. But his master surprised him again by ruffling his hair, though he did it so roughly he jarred Hiroki's tender bit ear it brought tears to his eyes.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to punish you for that...   _Just yet._ But you will be paying for it when you come home tonight." Tsumori said this with an evil smirk. "For right now though, just get your sad neko ass up and fix my breakfast and get to work before you're late… Unless, of course, you'd like to stay home with me all day today?"

Tsumori laughed as he felt Hiroki shiver under his hand.

"Oh, and by the way, you are to wear all your heavy piercings to school today."

"Yes, Tsumori-sama."

Hiroki shuffled away as quickly as his aching body could move and set about making breakfast. As he prepared his owner's meal, he found himself wishing that Tsumori had just beat him right there instead of prolonging his suffering and humiliation.

* * *

Surprisingly, Hiroki made it to the University, actually a little bit early. Unlike the regular human faculty, who had their own offices and their own lounge separate from the rest of the staff, hybrid faculty had no offices and so, had to use the tables in the lounge they shared with the rest of the University's hybrid staff. Limping into the hybrid lounge, Hiroki found a small empty table at the far corner of the room. After placing his workcase atop the table, he settled very slowly into his chair, his abused backside was so tender.

The other hybrids present, maintenance workers, teacher's assistants, and the few other nonhuman faculty had noted his entrance. A few looked at him curiously, but none made any move to approach. Quiet and standoffish by nature, Hiroki had not made many friends. Normally this did not bother him, since he preferred really to put all his time into his research and classes.

Hiroki ducked his head away from the few hybrids who continued to stare his direction. How it had happened, he didn't know, but somehow the grapevine had caught wind of shift in fortune. He knew that when the other University hybrids had first heard the rumor that Lord Usami was no longer his owner, some of them were secretly pleased to see him taken down a peg or two. Many had thought the Kamijou cat was entirely too proud a creature for his own good.

As the last few months had gone on, however, and they had seen him gradually reduced despite his best efforts to hide it, Hiroki sensed that quite a few felt very bad for him. He'd caught a few whispers here and there, heard a few hybrids saying, "No neko, even if he was proud and standoffish, deserved to be treated like that."

His colleagues' pity was almost as painful to bear as Tsumori's abuse. And today was the worst: it was clear from the ones that stared and the rooms quiet murmuring that they were horrified with how bad he looked and shocked his master had let him out of the house in such a state.

No one made any move to approach Hiroki, however. After all, what could they do? They themselves were only hybrids and unfortunately, pet cruelty laws were rarely enforced, even more so with certain species. Especially nekos of late, since the virus had been contained and there were now so many feline hybrids.

Hiroki flushed with embarrassment under the other employees' scrutiny and, as much as he wanted to remain resting in his chair, he decided to go to his classroom early, rather than continue to endure this humiliating attention.

When his class started, his students were also shocked by their professor's appearance. Up until now, Hiroki had been pretty much able to conceal the direness of his situation but today, he clearly looked like he'd been on the losing end of a cat fight.

Despite their clear curiosity most of Hiroki's students remained respectful. However, as he was giving his lecture, three boys in the back kept talking despite the disapproving looks he shot them. They were all jocks, players on the University's soccer team. The largest of the three had already failed his "Introduction to Japanese Literature" class once before. 

It was soon made clear that the trio had decided they were going to push their advantage of having their professor in such a 'compromised' state. Regardless of how terrible he felt, Hiroki's dedication to literature being taken seriously remained.  The third time they ignored his pointed stare, the Kamijou cat had enough of their disrespect.

Without thinking Hiroki hurled a piece of chalk at the ringleader. Despite the distance and how stiff he was, his aim was dead on and caught the boy square in the forehead.

"Please, stop talking and pay attention!"

The class as a collective gasped and then fell silent, the three troublemakers included. Hiroki went back to his lecture as if nothing had happened. Inside though, he was as shocked with what he had done as his students had been.

The boys stopped talking, but their eyes followed him intensely throughout the rest of the lecture. Hiroki was so disturbed by the fury in their glares that he almost lost his place once or twice. At one point, he gathered the long heavy sweater he'd worn to conceal his piercings around himself nervously as he continued, feeling as though the angry athletes could see right through it.

When the class finally ended, the three boys lingered in the back until the room was empty.

Hiroki had a very bad feeling about this. Quickly as he could, he gathered his books and papers together so that he could leave. But before he could escape, the three swaggered their way down to the front and stood between him and the door. The biggest of the trio, the one that Hiroki had hit with the chalk, towered threateningly over him.

"What's the idea, throwing stuff at me, you dumb cat! It's obvious looking at that eye of yours, you can't fight for shit, so why pick a battle you know you can't win?"

Hiroki pulled himself up straight despite the impulse to cower. But the kid sounded so much like Tsumori, he couldn't stop the way his ears flattened and his tattered tail curled up protectively between his legs.

"I think it's time the students taught their teacher a lesson!" One of the smaller ones said.

Hiroki shrunk back as his students closed in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	5. Giant

As the three boys drew closer to him, something happened to Hiroki. He suddenly realized that these boys were not Tsumori, they were his students and he was their teacher. His mind flashed with some of the terrible stories he'd heard about what had happened to other hybrid faculty.

Right then and there, he decided no matter how stiff and bruised he was, or how out-numbered, he was not going down without a fight. Raising himself up, Hiroki hissed. Even his injured tail seemed to find new courage and uncurled and defiantly fluffed.

As the largest of the boys raised his hand to hit him, his two friends stepped up, ready to follow their leader. The blow never fell, the hand falling away when, out of nowhere, a booming voice startled them all.

"What in the hell is going on here?"

Now, a large hand fiercely gripped the arm that had been about to strike Hiroki. Another hand had somehow simultaneously grabbed the back of both of the other boys' shirts.

All three turned to glimpse whoever it was that would dare intervene and found themselves looking into the face of a very angry giant.

"Nowaki?" Hiroki gasped. He was so startled, thankful, and terribly embarrassed all at the same time he forgot to add the 'san' to Nowaki's name.

Nowaki had gone home from Tsumori's last night, but he hadn't been able to rest. All he could think about was the poor battered neko he'd left behind at his senpai's.

He had never been so disappointed with himself before: he should have never abandoned Hiro-san in the condition he was in, regardless of his relationship with the older intern.

The situation had kept him up all night, worrying it over until early that morning, when had finally come up with a plan.

Before he did anything that was going to irrevocably alter the hybrid's life, Nowaki felt he had to talk with Hiroki about his decision. So he had come to the University first thing, before he had to go to one of his other many jobs. He'd found out where the neko professor's class was and from the looks of things, he had arrived not a moment too soon.

"I said what's going on here?" Nowaki's voice was softer now, but the coldness of it went straight to the bellies of Hiroki's three attackers.

"Nothin'…. Let me go, man, you're hurting my arm!" The ringleader cried. He tried to break free, but Nowaki's grip was like iron.

"That's funny, because it looked to me like you guys were about to gang up on your professor." Nowaki rattled the other two boys by their shirts as he said this. The boys' scared faces grew increasingly pale.

"That stupid neko hit me with a piece of chalk!" the biggest boy whined.

"Hiro-san, is that true?"

Hiroki gulped and nodded. "Yes, Nowaki." He was almost more frightened of how angry Nowaki looked than he had been of the boys.

"Why?"

"Because..." Hiroki dropped his eyes away from Nowaki's fearsome expression, "they wouldn't stop talking when I was giving my lecture." 

Nowaki immediately turned his fierce gaze on the boys in his grasp. "Well, then, it certainly sounds as though you merited that chalk and in fact, probably much more.

"You should have a much greater respect for education than that! Talking in class, how rude! And you should have more respect for your professors!" Nowaki recalled the pains Hiro-san had gone to last night to work on his grading, despite his terrible situation.

"Especially one as dedicated as Hiro-san… I mean," Nowaki looked questioningly at Hiroki, his face much less fierce.

"Kamijou," Hiroki offered shyly.

"As I was saying, Kamijou-sensei deserves your utmost respect, whether he is a neko or not. Now apologize to him!"

All four males looked at Nowaki with amazement.

"I said apologize!" Nowaki's voice was louder this time and his tone dangerous.

"I'm sorry, Kamijou-sensei," the ringleader gasped, his eyes filled with tears: Nowaki was gripping his arm so hard it was starting to hurt terribly.

"All of you."

"We're awfully sorry, Kamijou-sensei," the other two boys said in unison.

"Do I let them go, Hiro-san?" Nowaki looked at Hiroki. "Or do I take them down to the Dean's office?"

"Let them go, Nowaki-san." Hiroki was not feeling well and suddenly just wanted to sit down.

"Okay, Hiro-san." Nowaki turned back to the boys. "Kamijou-sensei is obviously more forgiving than I am and has graciously decided to let you go. Understand, however, that if anything happens to him... If so much as one tender hair on his head is disturbed... You will be dealing with me! Got it?"

"Yes, sir!" All three boys cried.

"Then go. Now!" Nowaki whipped the trio around and gave them a push as he released them, sending them towards the door. The youths wasted no time in scrambling away.

Nowaki turned to the shaken hybrid professor. Hiroki tensed, but relaxed almost immediately when he saw the man now had the same kind expression on his face as he'd had last night when they had first met.

"Are you okay, Hiro-san?" Seeing the neko nod, Nowaki smiled then added contritely, "I apologize for saying 'hell' earlier. I'm sorry to have subjected you to that kind of rough language, but I wanted to get those boys' attention."

Touched by the apology, especially considering the way that Tsumori talked to him all the time, Hiroki blushed. "I think you got their attention, Nowaki-san." Tail twitching in relief even though it hurt him, he almost smiled. "I could have handled them myself, you know though."

"I'm sure you could have, Hiro-san." Nowaki chuckled lightly, pleased to see this bit of pride. It meant Hiro-san had not been completely broken by Tsumori's cruelty. Then his grin faded as he really looked at Hiroki for the first time that day.

"Oh, Hiro-san, what happened?"

Hiroki winced and tried not to pull away as he felt Nowaki's big, warm hand gently grasp his chin and turn his face upwards.

"Nothing… I, uh... fell after you left last night."

Nowaki carefully traced the base of Hiroki's bitten ear, well away from the wound with his other hand. "This doesn't look like the kind of injury you get from a fall."

Seeing Hiroki's swollen eye broke his heart and he imagined there were probably other new injuries hidden beneath the tattered neko's clothes. "Ah, Hiro-san... I'm so sorry. I should have never left you there alone with Senpai last night!"

Nowaki sounded almost as though he might cry. This distressed Hiroki, he did not want to cause Nowaki any pain, especially since he'd had been so kind.

"Nowaki-san, it's okay. After all, you're not responsible for me. Tsumori-sama is my master..." It galled Hiroki to have to ascribe the honorific "sama" to someone as low as Tsumori, but as a neko, he had no say in how he must address his owner, let alone dare to try and dictate his owner's actions. "And he has the right to do whatever he wants with me."

 Finding himself uncomfortably reminded of his behavior towards Akihiko the broken catman said softly, "Besides, I am sure if Tusmori-sama thought I needed correction, I must have deserved it."

Hearing Hiroki say this hurt Nowaki's heart more than anything he could have imagined.

"No one deserves that, Hiro-san." He saw Hiroki look up at him. There were hopeless tears shining on the surface of the neko's beautiful, dark eyes. In that moment Nowaki had never seen any creature look so sad or so beautiful.

"Hiro-san..." Nowaki hesitated then mustered his courage. "if you don't have another class right away, there's something I'd like to talk with you about. Is there someplace we can go?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters today, since I missed yesterday. As always, thank you for reading and your comments make my day!


	6. Choice

Quickly wiping the tears from his eyes, Hiroki looked away, ashamed to show himself so openly to a stranger. Still, there was something about Nowaki that made him wish to linger in the tall youth's presence.

"My next class is in an hour. I suppose we could go to the hybrid lounge and talk. If that is agreeable to you, Nowaki-san?"

Nowaki breathed a sigh of relief and a smile filled his handsome face.

"That would be great, Hiro-san!"

The bedraggled neko looked at Nowaki wonderingly. He turned to get his book bag off the podium and winced, settling its strap on his badly bruised shoulder.

"Hiro-san, why don't you let me carry that for you?" Nowaki picked the strap up carefully, sliding it off Hiroki's shoulder, and hitching it up on his own.

"No, idiot, I can carry it myself!"

Hiroki clapped his hands over his mouth, eyes wide in horror at the words that had accidentally slipped out. Fearfully, he looked  up at Nowaki, expecting to once again see rage in the man's face, but Nowaki just continued to smile.

Far from angry, Nowaki was delighted by this unexpected burst of fierce pride.

"You're so cute, Hiro-san!" His smile broadened when he saw the adorable scowl that overtook Hiroki's face when he said this. It was so sweet he couldn't help but give the top of Hiroki's head a very gentle ruffle.

While he didn't pull away, since after all, Nowaki had just literally saved his tail, Hiroki frowned deeper at this. When Nowaki's large hand left him, he pulled his spine straight and limped out of the room with as much dignity as possible, though he still really felt weak from the previous night's abuse and the fright of the confrontation with the three boys.

"I am too old of a cat to be called 'cute', Nowaki-san..." Hiroki had finally found his words and the professor in him couldn't help but correct. " _Cute_ is for kittens, which I most definitely am not."  However, behind him, his horribly honest tail had uncurled and despite its aching, its tip had the liveliest, pleased twitch it had sported in ages.

The two made a strange pair, walking down the halls of the University, drawing numerous stares, the tall, glowing doctor-to-be and the shorter, beleaguered neko. Hiroki found himself walking much closer to Nowaki than he usually would have another person. Something about the man gave him strength and made him feel safer.

He was shocked when suddenly Nowaki unexpectedly reached out and took his hand.

"What are you doing, Nowaki-san? People will see us!"

"What's wrong with that?" Nowaki reluctantly allowed Hiroki to pull his paw away. "Can't friends hold hands?"

Hiroki blushed. He was both happy and conflicted at Nowaki calling him a 'friend.' He didn't have many (well, _any_ really, right now) and could certainly use one.

When they reached the neko lounge, Hiroki once again asked if Nowaki minded talking here before they entered.

"Not at all, why would I?"

"Well, most full humans don't like to come in here. They think it's beneath them."

Nowaki walked in with no hesitation."That's just silly, Hiro-san."

Returning to the quiet corner at the far side of the room where Hiroki had sat earlier that morning, well away from the other hybrid employees dotting the lounge, the pair settled in. It took a while for Hiroki to get himself seated comfortably. Nowaki stayed standing, watching this with a look of grave concern. He didn't want to embarrass the professor further at the moment by bringing up his condition, so instead he asked if Hiroki could bring him a cup of tea.

"You shouldn't be waiting on me, Nowaki-san." Hiroki was embarrassed, but when he saw the determination in the man's blue eyes he blushingly relented. "Yes, please. That would be very nice."

Hiroki watched as Nowaki walked casually across the room to get the tea, smiling and politely offering a 'hello' to each astonished hybrid he past.

The hybrid workers wondered who this strange man was, in their lounge, hanging out with the standoffish Kamijou cat. A few entertained the idea that perhaps this was Kamijou-sensei's new master, but then quickly discarded the thought. The man seemed too pleasant and nice to possibly have been the one responsible for the cinnamon neko's diminished state.

Returning  with the tea Nowaki, took a chair opposite Hiroki, blocking the professor from the view of his curious co-workers. Hiroki accepted the tea gratefully, but eyed Nowaki warily as he began to act increasingly nervous.

"Nowaki-san, what's wrong?"

"Hiro-san, I don't know how really to go about saying this, so I will just be plain about it." Nowaki's face was serious, but the tips of his ears had gone red. He dropped his eyes and his voice. "I don't think you should stay with Tsumori-senpai anymore. It is obvious that he hurts you and you're not safe there."

Hiroki's own ears grew hot hearing this and his tail twitched in embarrassed agitation at Nowaki's bluntness. It was his turn to drop his eyes now. He could feel the humiliated blush coloring his cheeks.

"You are right, he does hurt me. But as I said before, Nowaki-san, Tsumori is my master. I belong to him," Hiroki's sad voice was almost a whisper. Though they were quite well away from the rest of the nekos he did not want anyone to hear the painful truth of his situation.

"Yes, I know. That's why I wanted to know if you would be okay with me trying to buy you from Tsumori-senpai?"

Hiroki's head popped up at this  and he stared at Nowaki in open disbelief. Nowaki rushed on, mistaking the look in the neko's huge eyes for panic.

"I admit I have never had a pet before, and I don't really know much about nekos, it's true. But I am a quick study and I'm sure I could learn how to take care of you quickly.

"And I know that you also have only known me a day. So I understand, given what you've been through, why you might be scare…uh, apprehensive of someone new that you don't know, but I would never purposely hurt you, Hiro-san. This I can promise you.''

Hiroki's brown ears stood completely up, turned to catch every word Nowaki said. At the earnestness in the man's voice, he couldn't help it, his eyes filled with tears.

"Why would you do that? Look at me!" Hiroki used Tsumori's words from the previous night, "I'm nothing but a mangy bag of bones. Why would you ever want me?"  Then recalling his master's words further, he added. "I would rather be beaten to death than purchased by someone out of pity."

"Oh, Hiro-san…It's not like that at all." Nowaki's eyes were wide with shock to hear Hiroki speak of himself so harshly. "You are so much more. And I knew how very special you were the first time I saw you.

"You are an amazing creature: passionate, dedicated. And this..." With one of his long fingers Nowaki slowly reached out and gently smoothed away the first tear that had broken free from Hiroki's eyes before it finished rolling down his bruised cheek. "Your tears are why I want to take you from Tsumori-senpai.

"You were so sad when I first met you and I never want you to be that sad again. The only tears I ever want to see you cry are tears of happiness."

Hiroki hung his head, he was crying freely now. Nowaki leaned in and took his cool, fine-boned hands in his own large warm ones.

"Nowaki..." Hiroki's voice was barely audible. "Why are you asking me? Why didn't you just go talk to Tsumori-sama? Like I said, he's my owner. And you must know a hybrid has no say in such matters."

Nowaki seemed surprised at the question. "Hiro-san, I would never think to be so presumptuous. You _should_ have a say in who you belong to. Even if you only want to stay with me for a time, until you get healed and find someone else better, that should ultimately be your choice."

Hiroki was overwhelmed. No human had ever talked with him like this before. Even Akihiko had never thought to ask when he'd bought him, if that was what he had wanted.

After what Nowaki had just offered him, with this single acknowledgement, already Hiroki could not imagine ever finding anyone more remarkable . It was something no one had ever given him before: a choice.

Hiroki blushed from the tips of his ears to the end of his tail. "Nowaki..." This same tender tail slipped up and wrapped shyly around one of Nowaki's wrists as the two continued to hold hands. "I think I might very much like to belong to you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the kudos and comments, they bring joy to my day!


	7. Leash

* * *

Hiroki was shocked at how happy his answer made Nowaki; the man beamed from ear to ear.

"Oh, Hiro-san, thank you so much, I promise I will take very good care of you!"

Hiroki's tail slowly uncurled from around Nowaki's wrist. It twitched nervously, as did his ears. "You know, I can take pretty good care of myself."

"Of course, Hiro-san, I didn't mean any disrespect." It pleased Nowaki to see, despite his battered appearance, how much the small cat man seemed to be reviving. His display of feistiness was just so cute.

Once again Hiroki was amazed at how good-natured Nowaki seemed to be with him (especially after how angry he had been with the boys who'd threatened him earlier). In fact, Nowaki almost seemed to _like it_ when he talked back. While he was thinking about this, a pair of soft warm lips startled Hiroki, quickly brushing against his forehead.

"Nowaki!" Hiroki couldn't believe he'd just been kissed in the midst of the neko lounge, in front of all his colleagues, no less. Though truthfully, the way that Nowaki was sitting, blocking the rest of the room from viewing them with his back, it was unlikely anyone had actually seen them.

Simply smiling at the hybrid's response, Nowaki sat back and gave Hiroki's head one final ruff. "I have to go now, Hiro-san, or I'm going to be late for work. What time do you get done with classes today?"

"I have to teach until 3:30 today. Why?"

"Well, I get done with work at the flower shop at 4:00. I can be here by 4:30. Can I meet you here?" Nowaki's blue eyes flashed uneasily, thinking about his terrible supervisor. "Then we can go to Senpai's together. I really don't want you to be alone with Tsumori anymore."

"You work at a flower shop? I thought you worked at the hospital."

"Oh, I do work at the hospital and do my residency there as well, but I also have two other jobs. One is at a flower shop."

Hiroki was now also very impressed with his potential owner's work ethic.

"I think that would work… As long as I'm home by five. Otherwise Tsumori will get mad and he won't be easy to talk to then." Hiroki couldn't keep the nervousness from his voice. Five o'clock would be pushing the limit. But then, looking at Nowaki's sweet face he felt much more at ease.

"Wonderful. I'll see you this afternoon." Nowaki got up and headed out of the neko lounge. "Goodbye, Hiro-san," he called back over his shoulder.

The eyes of the other working pets in the lounge followed the strange, tall visitor as he left. Many wondered about how informally he addressed Kamijou-sensei. It was impossible to think that even with his pride the Kamijou cat would be unfaithful to his master, and yet, there did seem to be a definite connection between the two.

As soon as Nowaki was out of sight, the other hybrids began to murmur and all eyes turned back to Hiroki. Puffing his tail at the curious gazes directed at Hiroki and scowled, his bad eye gave him a particularly fierce expression. The other hybrids looked away quickly as Hiroki proudly retreated behind his students' papers.

* * *

The rest of Hiroki's day teaching went without incident. Though he had been horribly stiff and sore throughout his lectures, the hope of his conversation with Nowaki was a powerful painkiller that carried him throughout the day. Even the Kamijou cat's students could tell a difference in their professor's spirits.

Now it was almost four. Hiroki anxiously waited for Nowaki to show up in the almost empty hybrid lounge. The minutes seemed to crawl by and he could not believe how nervous he was.

_What if Nowaki changes his mind? What if Tsumori refuses to sell me to him?"_

Hiroki's tail swished back and forth as though it was pacing. Trying to distract himself from these thoughts, he turned his eyes back to his students' newest essays.

Taking out a purple pen (red was too strident for a mere neko), he set to work. He had finally relaxed a bit, aside from his telltale tail, and was engaged in reading an almost decent essay, when suddenly…

"Hiro, get your ass over here!"

The sound of Tsumori's voice stopped Hiroki's tail in its tracks. The bottom dropped out of his stomach. Hiroki shrunk back in his chair. He would have hidden if he could have, but Tsumori had clearly seen him. The man stood in the lounge doorway, refusing to come into a space designated for hybrids. Hiroki didn't know what to do except obey. Shakily he rose from his chair and began putting his papers into his bag.

"Leave that shit there, and get over here now!" Tsumori barked. Then he muttered under his breath, "it's not like you're going to need it where you're going anyway,"

Hiroki did as he was told. Mortified, he walked over to his master too conscious of the stunned stares of the few other hybrids in the room witnessing this degrading incident. When he reached Tsumori, the man clutched him by the shirt and held him as he took off his light work collar and put the heavy one he had to wear at home on.

"I thought I'd better come down and pick you up myself." Tsumori fumbled with the collar's stiff buckle. He pulled on it hard, scraping Hiroki's delicate skin.

"I figured since you knew you had a punishment coming when you got home today for scratching me last night, and since you already ran away once, that you might try to again." Tsumori pulled out Hiroki's lead. "Clip this on your collar."

"Please, Tsumori-sama, don't make me wear the leash." Hiroki could not keep the plea from his tone. There were few things he could imagine more humiliating than being forced to walk through the University's halls trailing behind his master on a lead.

"I promise that I won't try and run away." 

While it was the law that every neko must wear a visible collar while in public, leashing a neko was done at the owner's prerogative. No neko wanted to be seen on a leash, however, because that indicated it was a problem and not a good pet.

Tsumori roughly grabbed Hiroki's collar and pulled him forward clipping it on himself. "We're going home, now!" He said angrily striding forward. "And just know, you're going to be getting extra punishment for talking back to me."

Hiroki dug in his heels and received a bone-jarring jerk as a result.

"What the fuck!" Tsumori shouted. His hand lifted to slap Hiroki, but he stopped, realizing that they were in public. Not than anyone was likely to report a human for 'disciplining' his pet.

Hiroki had braced himself for the blow, surprised when it didn't fall. Realizing his window of opportunity was minimal he bowed low.

"I'm so sorry, Tsumori-sama, but please, I have a human student that was supposed to meet me at my table in the lounge in a few minutes." This was a lie, but hopefully Tsumori wouldn't know it. 

"May I please go write her a note, so that when she comes, she doesn't waste time waiting for me?"

"If you think it's worth adding another punishment to your list, Hiro, go right ahead… But I am going to stand right here and watch you. So no fucking funny business!"

Hiroki gulped and nodded at his furious master. Moving into the room as fast as his bruised body would carry him, he scribbled out his note. Then he met his owner at the door and followed Tsumori out, walking meekly behind him on his lead. The disgrace was unbearable, but he did not want to cause any more of a scene.

As they stepped out onto the grounds of the campus and headed towards Tsumori's dreaded apartment, Hiroki's ears lay completely flat and his tail showed no life at all.

But inside, with every step they took, Hiroki prayed fervently that Nowaki would find his note.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapters, I know. 
> 
> Thanks for reading and your comments and kudos make my day!


	8. Note

As much as he tried to stay focused, Nowaki was so preoccupied thinking about Hiroki that he actually made several mistakes at the flower shop that day. (Like accidentally putting a funeral condolence card in someone's anniversary bouquet). Luckily his boss caught all of the mix-up before the flowers went out and, since Nowaki was usually such a good employee, she didn't scold him too much.

Yes, Nowaki's thoughts kept returning the brave, smart, tender cinnamon neko he'd met, and would hopefully soon be in his care.

It was strange all the feelings that emerged every time Hiro-san came into his mind. Nowaki always known he liked boys more than girls, but he'd never had a boyfriend. He thought that was just because he hadn't met the right person yet: he had a very big heart, but that didn't mean he would give it away to just anyone.

Except now, it seemed like Hiro-san had crept in on his neko paws and curled up there, the hybrid professor filling the whole space of his heart.

He'd always believed that in love it was the person, not the gender, which was important. Now, Nowaki found he needed to add species to this sentiment.

He wasn't upset to realize that he had fallen in love with a neko, just surprised and worried that Hiro-san might not be able to love him back in the same way. Even so, Nowaki had hopes that if he was patient, he might be able to win Hiro-san's true affections. If he couldn't. however, he knew, regardless, Hiro-san needed him right now and that he had to save hiim from Tsumori.

As it got closer to the time for him to go pick Hiro-san up, Nowaki felt more and more nervous. He kept looking at the clock urging it to go faster. Finally, however, his boss told him that perhaps he should just take off a few minutes early and go home.

Nowaki thanked her gratefully and ran out the door.Even though he went as fast as he could, there was a delay with the metro.

Arriving at the University at 4:15, Nowaki went straight to the neko lounge.

Hiro-san wasn't there.

Recognizing the neko professor's book bag on a table in the same area where they had sat and talked earlier that day, Nowaki walked over and sat down.

 _Hiro-san has probably just stepped out for a minute_.  _I'm early after all._

As he sat there, Nowaki decided to do something very forward. He hoped Hiro-san would not get too mad at him for it. He smiled slightly to himself: a mad Hiro-san would probably be very cute though. Carefully, Nowaki started gathering the professor's papers and putting them in his bag so that when he came back they could just go.

While he was doing this, a small neko woman crept shyly up to him.

"Ummm, excuse me, sir?" She offered a humble bow. She was clearly very nervous about approaching this strange man, but Nowaki's warm smile, when he turned to greet her instantly put her at ease.

"I saw you here earlier with Kamijou-Sensei, are you a friend of his?"

"I am," said Nowaki after returning her gesture. His smiled faltered seeing how upset the lady neko seemed. "I am waiting for him now. I hope that's okay. I know not many people come into your lounge."

"Oh, no, that's fine." What was no fine, was that she had witnessed the whole terrible scene between Hiroki and Tsumori. "I just wanted to tell you I don't think that the professor will be back anytime soon."

"What? Why?" Nowaki's smile disappeared completely now.

"Well, Kamijou-Sensei's master came by and picked him up not too long ago."  The petite neko clucked her tongue sadly, thinking of the proud hybrid's reduced state, "Normally, I wouldn't say anything, but his owner seemed very angry about something and even put the professor on a leash to take him away."

The lady neko watched the tall man's face first become very pale and then grow very dark. She started when he jumped up from his chair.

"Thank you so much for telling me!" Grabbing the last of Hiro-san's papers and his bag, Nowaki immediately headed for the door. Stuffing the papers inside, he happened to glance down and see on top of one of the papers a hurried scrawl of purple pen.

_Nowaki-san,_

_Last night I scratched Tsumori. He's taking me home to be punished. Please help me._

_-Hiroki_

The words made Nowaki's blood run cold. He dropped the papers and the bag and started running as fast as he could.

* * *

Hiroki followed Tsumori quietly all the way home, hating all the looks that he got along the way. People would stand aside or move off not wanting to get too close to an obviously unruly neko. It didn't help at all either that he looked so bad.

Once they were out amongst people, Tsumori immediately switched on his charm. Smiling and chatted with the other humans around them, he completely ignored Hiroki.  This was actually fine with him, since this meant he at least wasn't being jerked around quite so much.

Hiroki put a tentative hand up to his neck. The base of it was so raw from the collar and Tsumori's pulling, he worried it might soon start to bleed. He wondered too, if he might not have a slight case of whiplash from when he had first resisted his owner back at the University.

A sudden tug startled him. Looking up, Hiroki saw Tsumori staring darkly at him. Hiroki put his hand down and Tsumori nodded. His owner then turned back to the pretty woman he had been chatting up. Hiroki watched her give his owner her number as Tsumori flashed his winning grin at her.

All Tsumori's bight smiles disappeared completely, however, as soon as they reached the apartment building.

As they stepped out of the elevator and into the narrow hallway leading to 'their' home, Hiroki tried not to cry out as Tsumori gave his leash a particularly vicious yank. A terrible sinking feeling took root in his stomach when he saw two very rough looking men standing outside his master's door. Ears flattening in fear, Hiroki grabbed his spasmodic tail trying to keep it still.

Tsumori called out cheerfully, "hey, guys, you're a bit early!" his grin returning."

His master's grin had returned but the knots in Hiroki's belly twisted tighter seeing how cruel this particular smile was.

The bigger of the two answered with out any of the usual polite formalities."Lucky you showed up just now!" His voice was low and harsh. "We were going to leave in another minute, if you didn't show up."

 "That the neko?" This was said by the smaller of the two. He had a weasely voice and an evil grin on his face that outdid Tsumori's by miles.

While Tsumori unlocked the door, Hiroki tried to stand as far away as possible from the two men eying him intently. He couldn't keep this distance for long though as Tsumori pushed in, dragging him in after him.

The men followed closely after, shutting the door hard behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! And remember, kudos and comments are love. : )


	9. Knackers

Hiroki's heart pounded as Tsumori pulled him into the apartment. He looked down as he was dragged past the two men and saw the tattoo each sported on their left hands. Hiroki's thundering heart threatened to stop.

They were knackers.

Just the word 'knackers' was enough to throw fear into the bravest hybrid, the term rarely uttered above a whisper by any human/animal cross. Hiroki had always thought knackers were just the material of urban hybrid myth until, after the raid on the park, he was in lockup with the rest of the feral and runaway nekos,. Passing the hours until they were processed and sold, terrifying stories had been exchanged.

In Japan and other first world countries, the use of hybrids for testing products and for medical research had been forbidden for decades. But, because of their human traits, there were distinct advantages in using the crosses. For this reason, some medical research facilities and corporations with less than perfect morals still covertly used them, despite the bans.

Such places were a living hell for any hybrid. Locked for days on end in tiny cages, shocked, starved, operated on, injected with all manner of things, a hybrid's only hope of release was death.

With the laws against using hybrids, the black market trade in them was a lucrative business. The people who trafficked in hybrids, securing them for testing and the gods only knew what else, were known as 'knackers.' Most of these individuals worked in conjunction as part of larger mafia operations and were identified by their insignia tattoos, inked on their left hand.

The ferals at lock up had spoken of these people in hushed tones, of knackers who actively hunted and trapped feral nekos, but also those who bought used up or unwanted pets. Sometimes knackers even stole unattended hybrid out of cars or their owners' yards, since it was easier and cheaper than breeding them.

Every impounded neko had quaked when they heard they would be sold, terrified they might fall into such hopeless hands.

"Please, Master..." Hiroki knew he was risking severe punishment by speaking. But as much as it pained his fierce pride, he was willing to beg if it kept the knackers at bay.

Held by his collar, Tsumori spun Hiroki around to face the men.

"After your shameful behavior last night, Hiro," Tsumori hissed into his neko's injured ear, "I've decided no simple punishment will do.

"I've tried that, and, despite how smart you're supposed to be; you just never seem to learn."

"Please..." Hiroki said this again, but his voice was little more than a whisper.

Tsumori on grinned and shook his head. "No. I have given you enough chances. So, something a bit more dramatic is in order." The grin fell from Tsumori's face and his eyes hardened.

"Besides, I don't want there to be any chance of you distracting Nowaki from what he really needs, which is me. So… I've decided to sell you. These two men are going to take you to your new home."

Hiroki fought not to cringe as the big knacker raked his eyes over him with a leer.

"He looks a little shabby," despite saying this, the man still licked his lips in a way that was decidedly hungry.

Tsumori's grin had returned once more, but now it was nothing shy of evil. "Does it matter really? With where he's going? Besides, you agreed to buy him sight unseen."

The big knacker snorted at this and then shrugged. "Nah, it doesn't matter to us. The Doc might complain a bit, but that really depends on what he decides to use him for."

Now the smaller knacker had fixed his gaze on Hiroki. "So this is punishment for him, huh?"

Hiroki did not at all like the look in the little man's eyes. His tail twisted in apprehension. Turning to his master, Hiroki wordlessly implored once more for mercy.

Tsumori ignored this silent plea as well, and instead rattled Hiroki by his collar, making the neko choke.

"Yeah, he's been a very _bad_ kitty,"

The small knacker clapped his hands together in excitement. "Sooooo then." The lustful light in his eyes glowed even brighter than before. "You wouldn't mind if we had a little fun with him before we take him?" Beady eyes scanned the apartment.

"I mean, we'll do it regardless... It's just this place is a little more comfortable than the back of our van."

The taller knacker nodded in silent agreement before shooting Hiroki a wicked wink.

Terrified, Hiroki stared at Tsumori, his dark eyes huge with fear. Tsumori just laughed.

"Suit yourself, but I get to watch. I wouldn't mind seeing my cat slut in one final show."

The cinnamon neko looked on in horror as both knackers began to take off their coats. The immobility that had seized his limbs upon entering the apartment broke at last. Panic rushing through his veins, he began to struggle, trying to wriggle out of Tsumori's grip on his collar.

"God damn it!" Tsumori wrapped one arm around Hiroki's neck. "Hiro, be still!" With his other hand he gave the neko's torn ear a sharp twist.

Spurred on by the pain, Hiroki managed to get his teeth into Tsumori's restraining arm. In an instant, he'd given Tsumori a very severe bite. Tsumori screeched and pulled his arm away.

"Fuck!"

The moment he loosened his grip, Hiroki broke free and darted under the dining-room table.

"Get that little cat shit!" Tsumori screamed at the two knackers, holding his injured arm, blood already leaking out from between his fingers.

The Knackers went to try and grab Hiroki, but every time they reached under the table the desperate neko lashed out, scratching or biting. Frantic as Hiroki was, they just couldn't get a hold of him.

After several minutes of trying unsuccessfully to catch Hiroki, the big knacker pulled away from the table and stood. "I've got a Taser in the van. I'll go down and get it." He shot Tsumori an angry glare. "I'm not getting the shit scratched out of me trying to catch that little fucker.

"Watch him," he ordered his partner.

"He's not going anywhere," the weasel assured.

The big knacker put his hand to his mouth, sucking on deep scratch in the web of skin between his thumb and index finger. He looked at the wound with disgust and then darkly at Tsumori again.

"I thought you said he was tame," He spat out, grumbling all the way to the door."That'll piss the Doctor off; he doesn't like surprises." The instant the big knacker opened the door, he drew back with a shout.

"What the...?!" 

Speaking of 'surprises;' he'd just found himself suddenly face to face with a very angry Nowaki.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. And special thanks to you BlueBird, since you're my only commenter at the moment. : )


	10. Anything

The minute he'd stepped out of the elevator, Nowaki's sharp ears had tuned in to the commotion going on in Tsumori's apartment. His concern for Hiro-san's safety rose with each step he took towards the door.

When he finally reached it he was prepared to break it down, if that was what he had to do to save Hiro-san. Raising one large hand, curled into a fist to pound on the door, Nowaki just as surprised as the knacker when it suddenly swung open. His eyes widened, first at the sight of the knacker and even more at the chaotic scene playing out behind him.

The big knacker stumbled backwards away from the dangerous aura emanating from the tall man standing in the hallway.

"What the hell's stopping you? Go get the Taser!" Tsumori came up behind the man to see why he had ceased his movement out of the apartment. He was shocked to see Nowaki standing in his doorway.

"Kusama!" Tsumori bleated in surprise. He ran his hands through his blond hair and tugged on his shirt, trying to make himself look presentable. "How unexpected. What are you doing here?"

Nowaki wasn't going to waste any time with his senpai's charade. "Where's Hiro-san?"

"What?" Thrown off by the dark expression on the younger man's usually bright face, Tsumori was taken aback by Nowaki's question.

"Your neko, Tsumori, Kamijou Hiroki, where is he?"

Tsumori's jaw dropped. He'd never heard Nowaki speak so forcefully before.

"Who the fuck are you?" The weasely knacker had abandoned his post at the table and moved towards them.

"I'm Kusama Nowaki and I've come for Hiro-san." Nowaki's usually gentle voice was hard and menacing.

"Your pussy sure is popular," the big knacker said to Tsumori. By now he'd regained his composure. Turning back to Nowaki and he sneered, "too late, big fella, the catman is ours."

Nowaki's expression shifted rapidly, his face registering shock as what the other man told him sank in. "What are you talking about?"

"Tsumori sold the neko to us!" the weasel added.

At this announcement, Nowaki made a lunge for Tsumori. Grabbing the blond by the neck, he slammed him against the wall. "You bastard! Have they paid you yet?"

Seeing how Tsumori was gasping in his grip, Nowaki loosened his hold just slightly. "Have you signed the papers transferring ownership?"

"Nn... no," Tsumori choked, still barely able to breathe.

"How much?"

"What?"

"How much did they offer you, Senpai? I will double… No, triple whatever it is if you will sell Hiro-san to me!"

Just then, the big knacker attacked Nowaki from the back, dealing a sharp blow to his kidneys. The pain of the hit dropped Nowaki to his knees. In an instant the big knacker was on top of him. 

Grabbing Nowaki by the back of the neck with one hand, with the other, the gangster seized one of the medical student's arms, twisting it up behind his back. Nowaki, who still hadn't recovered from the first blow, gasped at this new pain. He could feel the muscle straining in his arm as it was pushed up higher and knew it would not take much more pressure for it to break.

"Wait a minute here, big guy! Before you go getting all bent out of shape," the weasel laughed at his cruel pun as he nodded to his partner, who immediately increased his grip on Nowaki. "We had a deal with Tsumori."

Under the table, eyes shut tight, Hiroki had been listening to what was happening. Slitting them open, seeing Nowaki pinned beneath the big knacker, his already trembling frame shook harder. He knew that they had Nowaki at their mercy now, and the thought the knackers were hurting the one who had shown him kindness, who had tried to rescue him, was too much.

"Nowaki..." Hiroki called as he crept out from under the table. Nowaki shot him a pained smile, then winced as the big knacker gave another incremental twist to his arm.  "Don't hurt him! Please!" Hiroki cried out. "I'll go with you. J-just let him go!"

The second Hiroki was fully out from under the table, before he could stand, little knacker was on him. Grabbing Hiroki by his collar, he soon had the catman in a similar hold to the one his partner had on Nowaki. Hiroki hissed as his already stiff arm was twisted unbearably upwards.

From their positions on the floor Hiroki and Nowaki stared at each other. Both panting with pain, each was silently apologizing to the other with his eyes.

Hiroki let out a little yelp when, suddenly, the weasel  lifted him up off his knees. He slammed the poor catman down, bending him over the table, pressing himself against Hiroki's backside. All the violence had excited the small knacker and the neko could feel the man's obvious arousal pressing into him. With his arms held tight, Hiroki's tail swished madly trying to push the man away.

"We were just getting ready to have some fun with this little cat bitch before you came barging in."  The weasel shot Nowaki an incredibly evil grin. "But I say the more, the merrier. Maybe you'd like to watch?" As he said this, he let go of Hiroki's collar.

Keeping the pressure on the neko's arm, he used his free hand to strip Hiroki from the waist down. Hiroki couldn't help it, though he wanted to be brave in front of Nowaki, he let out a small groan of terror at the sudden exposure and the impending violation it indicated.

Tsumori had gone and shut the apartment door. Still breathing hard, he'd returned now to stand in front of Nowaki. Nowaki looked up at his senpai. His eyes watered with the increasing ache in his arm and the strong emotions that filled him, knowing what the small knacker intended to do to his Hiro-san.

Blue eyes darted frantically between the weasely knacker and Tsumori.

"Tell him to leave Hiro-san alone," Nowaki growled through his pain, his voice low and husky. "Tell them both the deal's off."

"Why the fuck would I do that after the shit you just tried to pull, Kusama?" Tsumori rasped,  rubbing the deep red marks around his throat from where Nowaki had grabbed him, his voice still harsh. Pulling his hand away from his neck, purple marks were visible where it was already starting to bruise.

Nowaki watched in horror as the small knacker leered at him, as he unzipped his pants, reached inside, and pulled out his hard, and surprisingly big penis.

"Make them let Hiro-san go, Tsumori-senpai! Nowaki gasped through the pain. "Sell him to me. I will do anything…"

"I could make you do anything now." The big knacker breathed into Nowaki's ear from behind him, pushing his arm up another infinitesimal amount higher. Nowaki growled through gritted teeth, feeling his shoulder pop. Thankfully the bone in his arm did not give way.

 "Yes, but that would not mean as much as if it was freely given." Ignoring the agony in his arm, Nowaki stared into Tsumori's cold eyes. "I swear, Tsumori-senpai, and you know I am an honorable man. Anything."

Tsumori searched Nowaki's tortured face for guile, and saw only truth. He leaned back grinning. "Anything?"

From across the room Hiroki cried out, "Nowaki-san, no!" His huge eyes overflowed with tears. He could not bear to see Nowaki reduced in this way.

"Anything," Nowaki repeated solemnly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	11. Deal

After hearing Nowaki's offer, Tsumori quickly reached a decision. He turned to the knackers. 

"Okay, you heard the man, the deal's off."

The big knacker's face grew dark."Not a wise move, Pal,"

Even though he was a complete asshole, Tsumori did have balls. He didn't shy away from the two trafficker's angry glares. "Like Kusama said, you haven't paid me yet. My neko still, my choice. Let him go."

With a grunt of disgust the big knacker released Nowaki. Despite the pain, Nowaki rose quickly rubbing his shoulder and moved towards the smaller knacker.

"You heard Tsumori; take your hands off Hiro-san now!"

Gaze shifted between the two gangsters, despite his promise to Tsumori, Nowaki did not look at all humbled. "Now leave, before I am forced to injure the both of you!"

Something in the expression of those black eyes went straight into the bowels of the hardened knackers. Even with Nowaki's injured arm, the big one was deeply regretting letting him loose.

Equally disconcerted, the smaller knacker released Hiroki, who immediately darted back under the table. "Fuck it, let's go! No hybrid is worth all this shit!" he grumbled, tucking himself awkwardly back into his pants.

His partner simply nodded. Then he added, glaring at Tsumori as they left. "Don't get too comfortable, Tsumori. You never know when you might be seeing us again." Door slamming behind them, suddenly the apartment was silent.

After a few awkward moments, Tsumori broke the quiet. He rubbed his still aching neck.

"Well! That was certainly exciting, wasn't it, Nowaki. I'm glad you came when you did, to think, I was about to make a terrible mistake, letting Hiro go like that. Especially when you were willing to make me such a much better offer.

Tsumori walked over to the fridge in the kitchen and pulled out a beer. "Want one?" He shot Nowaki his most winning smile.

"No." The word was a growl. Nowaki's eyes remained black, his expression fierce.

Tsumori walked casually over to the couch and sat down. Nowaki didn't move but his gaze followed his senpai's every motion.

"Kusama, that's no way to talk to me after the deal we just made." Tsumori seemed completely at ease now. He motioned with the bottom of his beer bottle towards the dining room table. "Before we clarify the terms of our 'agreement,' oh honorable one, you might want to check on your neko."

As much as he hated Tsumori, he was right. Immediately Nowaki  knelt down and peered under the table.

"Hiro-san?" He saw the battered neko crouched, backed up against one of the table's far legs. The poor hybrid's eyes were completely wild with fright.

"Oh, Hiro-san," Nowaki soothed. "I'm so sorry. It's okay now though, those men are gone."

Tsumori watched, alternating between disgust and amusement, as Nowaki spent the next ten minutes coaxing his traumatized pet out from under the table.

When Nowaki's legs had grown tired of kneeling, he simply sat down cross-legged, moving so that his broad back rested against the outside of one of the table's legs. Completely ignoring Tsumori, he waited for Hiroki to come out.

It took a while for Hiroki to believe that Nowaki was still really there, and he wasn't going to end up raped or taken away to become a tortured guinea pig in some sterile laboratory. Finally though, Nowaki felt the neko professor draw close to him.

Hearing the hybrid sniff slightly, measuring his scent as he approached. Nowaki stayed perfectly still, not wanting to make any sudden movements that might cause Hiroki to retreat again. His heart leapt when he felt the delicate edge of one the neko's ears brush up against his arm.

Hiroki couldn't help himself. Though appalled at the terrible bargain that Nowaki had struck with his owner to save him, he was so glad to see him, so grateful for Nowaki's intervention. Skiding himself around Nowaki's shoulders, he crawled straight into his lap, tucking himself in between the man's crossed legs. 

Hiroki wrapped his arms around his rescuer's neck, tucked his cinnamon head under Nowaki's chin and hid his face in Nowaki's broad chest. He pointedly avoided any eye contact with Tsumori, whose eyes had increasingly narrowed as he watched this scene unfold from his seat on the couch.

Hiroki could not stop shaking. Nowaki winced as he put his still aching arm around the trembling neko. "Are you cold, Hiro-san?" Nowaki's other hand gently stroked the poor catman's head.

He pulled his hand back feeling something sticky as his fingers grazed Hiroki's bitten ear. Looking at his fingers Nowaki realized they were stained with blood: Tsumori's cruel twist of Hiroki's ear had reopened the previous night's wound.

He kept his face neutral, but inside Nowaki raged. Tsumori was so going to pay.

His ear was the last of Hiroki's concerns at the moment. The broken neko murmured into Nowaki's chest. "I'm so sorry, Nowaki.

"I'm not worth it. You should have just let them take me."

Nowaki felt his shirt grow damp with the cinnamon catman's tears. His gentle fingers returned to stroking Hiroki's fear-fevered head.

"Don't say that, Hiro-san," he whispered. Not caring that they were under his senpai's jealous scrutiny, he nuzzled into Hiroki's good ear and said in a voice hardly louder than a breath. "I love you. You mean everything to me…"

Rather than comfort, this only added to the poor neko's anguish. Under the cover of Hiroki's quiet sobs Nowaki added, "Besides... I haven't given up anything yet."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter, I know. Thanks for reading though!


	12. Kiss

"Okay, that's enough of that lovey-dovey bullshit!" Tsumori snapped, angered by Nowaki's obvious and true affection for Hiroki.

"Let's get down to business!"

Adjusting his hold on the still weeping neko in his arms, Nowaki looked up. "Okay. Name your price." His voice was flat, his blue eyes cold.

Tsumori named a figure and then added, "plus my 'bonus'."

Nowaki's face remained impassive. "Fine."

He shifted again, reaching awkwardly around to retrieve an envelope from his back pocket. After talking with Hiroki earlier that morning he had gone to the bank and withdrawn every yen of his savings.

Hiroki gasped when he heard what Tsumori wanted for him. "It's too much, Nowaki. No one in their right mind would ever pay that much."

Nowaki just hugged the hiccuping catman tighter with his injured arm, "Shhhh… It's okay, Hiro-san." With the other one, he threw the envelope at his senpai's feet.

Reaching down, Tsumori picked it up. He opened the packet and began counting. "You're a little short, Kusama," then he added, laughing at his own joke, "Ha! I bet that's the first time you've heard that since you were a kid."

Nowaki was not amused. "It's all I have. I'll get another job and pay you the rest as soon as I can. You know I'll keep my word."

Tsumori shook his head and clucked his tongue. "Honestly, Kusama, I thought you would have better taste than this. What is it about that stupid Kamijou cat that makes everyone want it so damn much?"

"Huh?" Nowaki was confused, not understanding the question.

"Nevermind," Tsumori waved his last comment away. "Deal.

" Who knows... If things go well enough. later I may offer you a way to expedite paying off the rest of what you owe me."

Now it was Nowaki's turn to shake his head, trying and failing to conceal his disgust.

"Now back to our little agreement, Kusama," Tsumori gloated, "You said _anything_."

"I did." Nowaki's voice was emotionless.

"And you know what I want?"

"I have a pretty good idea," Nowaki said softly. "When do you want to collect on this?"

Tsumori belched and stood up from the couch. He leered lustily at Nowaki."No time like the present, big guy."

"Where are Hiro-san's papers?" Nowaki didn't trust his Senpai at all. "I want to see them before anything happens."

"In the bedroom." Tsumori laughed."Isn't that convenient?" He was in high spirits now. "We can complete both transactions in the same place."

Nowaki said nothing. He simply unfolded his legs and awkwardly stood up without relinquishing his hold on Hiroki, continuing to cradle the trauma-shocked neko in his arms.

"Cat stays out here, Kusama. I'm not that kinky that I want  _it_ watching us." Tsumori headed in the direction of his bedroom.

Once again Nowaki shook his shaggy head in disgust; as if he would subject Hiro-san to witnessing their sordid exchange.  "I'm just going to put Hiro-san in the bathroom for now. Please give me a minute, Senpai."

This seemed strange to Tsumori, but he shrugged it off; Kusama was a strange guy. After all, he liked that stupid neko enough to trade his virtue for it.

Personally, Tsumori could have cared less about the cash, but he'd been wanting to fuck his kohai for years and, now, he was finally going to have the chance. "Knock your socks off, Sport. And, since I'm feeling generous at the moment, I'll give you five minutes.

"I'll get that bitch cat's papers in the meantime."

Nowaki tried to set Hiroki down on the bathroom floor, but the neko professor stuck to him like Velcro.

"Come on, Hiro-san. Let go," he urged. "I'll be back to get you in a few minutes."

When he finally managed to pry Hiroki off of him, Hiroki sat hunched on a small throw rug on the floor. The hybrid wrapped his arms around his knees and drew them up tightly to his chest. Since Nowaki had met him, Hiroki had never looked so small.

Pulling all the towels in the room off the racks, Nowaki knelt down and wrapped these around the shivering catman. He adjusted the cloths trying to make sure all of Hiroki was covered.

Although Hiroki would not look at him, Nowaki smiled when the neko wrapped his tail around one of his wrists. When he finally tried to leave, Nowaki was surprised at how strongly the tattered brown tail gripped him, holding him back.

"Are you sure, you're not part monkey too, Hiro-san?" he joked, gently untwining Hiroki's tail with his other hand.

Hiroki choked, trying to hold back a new wave of tears,"How can you make light like that, at a time like this, Nowaki?"

"You're right, Hiro-san?" Nowaki gently lifted Hiroki's angular jaw. "So, may I ask you something serious?"

Hiroki didn't say anything, but he nodded into Nowaki's palm.

"May I kiss you?"

Hiroki's eyes widened at the request. A slight blush crept into Nowaki's cheeks.

"It's just that... Well, I haven't really ever loved anyone before, or done any of that 'other' stuff. I'm afraid that Tsumori might try and kiss me and I don't want him to be my first."

Hearing this Hiroki was dumbfounded. It made the sacrifice Nowaki had willingly made for him all that more unbearable.

It was sad really too, that with all that the neko had been through, he'd had very few real kisses himself.

"Nowa…" Hiroki started to respond and then found himself cut off by the sweetest kiss he'd ever had.

Then what started as a gentle kiss, deepened and became something more frantic. Hiroki found himself leaning in to the tender hand that cradled his cheek. He opened his mouth and let Nowaki's tongue stroke his.

Nowaki had closed his eyes for the kiss but he opened them now, startled to feel that Hiroki's tongue was a bit rough, like a cat's. He saw Hiroki's ears had perked straight up and the neko's tail was undulating with pleasure, making broad sweeps back and forth across the floor.

Nowaki pulled back smiling. "Thank you, Hiro-san." He placed another small kiss on Hiroki's worried forehead; the neko's eyes were filled with new tears.

Standing now, Nowaki reached over to the sink and turned on the water. Then he did the same thing with the shower. Hiroki looked up at him, his expression still tormented, but also confused.

Warn fingers ruffled through Hiroki's sweaty bangs.

"Be brave, Hiro-san. I know you have been for so long already, but just a little longer, I promise. Like I said, I haven't given away anything yet."

"Kusama, get a move on," Tsumori shouted from the other room.

Glancing back anxiously at the running faucets, Nowaki hoped the noise of them would be loud enough to cover the sounds that would soon be coming from the other room. His gaze then returned to the suffering cinnamon neko in huddled bundle on the floor.

"Everything is going to be all right, Hiro-san." When Hiroki's haunted eyes finally lifted to meet his own, Nowaki's voice became firm, "but no matter what you hear, I want you to stay right where you are and don't move until I come back and get you. Understand?"

And with that Nowaki backed out and closed the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	13. Carried

 

* * *

Nowaki steeped into the bedroom. Tsumori was waiting for him there, leaning against a low dresser where Hiroki's pet documentation was spread out on its surface.

"Okay, Kusama, here's all the paperwork on your neko."

Picking up the pages Nowaki flipped through them. "You haven't signed the releases."

"His ass for your ass." Tsumori's voice was greasy. Gliding over to Nowaki, he put his hand on the back of his kohai's thigh. "I'll sign after we settle up."

Tsumori slid his palm up cupping the round firm cheek of Nowaki's ass and gave it a squeeze. With his other hand, he grabbed a handful of thick black hair and crushed his lips against Nowaki's.Though the feel of Tsumori touching him, kissing him, made Nowaki's skin crawl he didn't resist. In fact, he stood there passively accepting his senpai's fervor.

After a few moments of this, Tsumori pulled back, frowning with disapproval. "You'd better get into this, baby, or I'm not signing. That's all part of the 'anything' you promised."

At first, Nowaki said nothing, just gazed coldly back at Tsumori. Then he sighed. "As you wish Tsumori-sama."

With that Nowaki suddenly came to life. Grabbing Tsumori, he pushed him back against the wall. Nowaki's lips enveloped his senpai's. Under this unexpect onslaught, Tsumori opened allowing Nowaki's tongue entrance. Soon, through the kiss, they were fighting for dominance.

Nowaki, however, had over twenty years of untapped seme energy bottled up within his large frame. This power rose up and within moments Tsumori submitted and was groaning with pleasure.

Running one of his big hands up under Tsumori's shirt, Nowaki slid it up his stomach, over Tsumori's pectorals. His fingers grazed one of the blond's nipples; Tsumori's increased moans muffled under his mouth.

Nowaki could taste the beer on his senpai's tongue. Though it disgusted him, he persisted in the kiss, driving Tsumori deeper into ecstasy. Moving his leg between Tsumori's thighs, Nowaki pushed this up, grinding it against the blond's increasingly fevered groin.

Then, suddenly, Nowaki pushed off of Tsumori, releasing him completely. He pulled his shirt off over his head and unzipped the front of his jeans allowing them to hang open in a tantalizing "V."

"Is this what you wanted, Tsumori-sama?" His voice was low and husky.

Tsumori stared at Nowaki with hungry amazement. His expression filled with lust at the beautiful expanse of Nowaki's muscled chest, his packed abdomen, the glimpse of bulging briefs and the promise of what lay beneath them. Still breathless from the intensity of their kiss, Tsumori gasped, "oh, hell yes!"

Nowaki crossed his arms over his chest. "Then sign." His voice was firm. "I am a man of honor, Senpai. But... He added, "No offense: I'm afraid I do not hold you in that same regard."

Completely unprepared for and overwhelmed by the strength and power of Nowaki's semeness, Tsumori was so stirred his knees went weak. "Sure, Sport," he panted. Grabbing the pen, he signed the documents.

"And, no offense taken." Tsumori laughed uncomfortably, still breathless. "Given the situation it's only natural, I guess." Finished, the pen fell from his shaking fingers.

"Now take off your clothes and get on the bed," Nowaki ordered.

Tsumori, in his fever of lust, immediately complied.

"You know, Kusama, this isn't exactly how I envisioned this working out, but this is good." Pulling his shirt off over his head, Tsumori turned towards the bed. As he began to climb up on it he laughed again, voice more confident now. "Who knows, you might actually enjoy this so much, you'll forget about that damn neko."

This was the last thing Tsumori said before his world went black.

* * *

In the bathroom, except for the fact he was now anxiously rocking back and forth, Hiroki still sat exactly as Nowaki had left him. Tail whipping around in agitation, his sensitive ears strained, trying to pick up any sounds coming from the next room. But outside of a few loud thuds, things had been unnervingly quiet.

There was no clock in the room and Hiroki didn't have a watch; so there was no way for him to know how much time had passed. While the worried catman knew, in reality, probably only minutes had gone by, right now, it seemed like forever. Suddenly, the door opened and Nowaki stood there before him.

Everything about Nowaki was tense until he saw Hiroki looking up at him. The concern in the neko's large eyes warmed him and Nowaki broke into an amazing smile.

Quickly, and without saying a word, Nowaki turned off the still-running shower. Then he stepped over to the sink where he filled his mouth with water from the tap, swished it around, and spit it out before he turning the faucet off. Grabbing Tsumori's mouthwash off the counter, Nowaki opened it and repeated this act. Once finished, he turned back to find Hiroki watching him with such disconcerted intensity he almost laughed.

"Are you okay, Nowaki?... What... What happened?"Hiroki asked hesitantly.

Moving over to the neko, Nowaki knelt down. He took Hiroki's tear-stained face between his large hands and kissed him deeply: this was the last act he needed to purify his mouth from the tainted taste of Tsumori.

Pulling away from the breathless catman, Nowaki smiled again. "Nothing happened, Hiro-san." His voice was light, but his face was serious as he added, "Even a man of honor has his limits."

With this, Nowaki scooped up his stunned neko. "Come here, I want to show you something."

Hiroki wanted to protest that he was perfectly capable of moving on his own, but he was so happy his new owner seemed completely unscathed. Plus, it felt so good to be safe in Nowaki's arms. So, Hiroki resisted the urge to resist and, instead, just allowed himself to rest against Nowaki's broad chest. With his good ear pressed against him, Hiroki could hear the comforting rhythm of Nowaki's heart.

In contrast to his own, it was slow and steady, not the least bit distressed.

Carried out into the hall, the silence of the apartment seemed unnatural to Hiroki after all the chaos of earlier. Stepping into Tsumori's bedroom, Nowaki turned so that Hiroki could clearly see the bed.

"I want you to take a good look, Hiro-san. So you know that man will never hurt you again."

Lifting his head, Hiroki's eyes grew huge as he took in the scene before him. Tsumori lay half naked, sprawled across the bed, face bloody, his torso sporting a number of rapidly blooming bruises.

"Is he dead?" Hiroki asked, suddenly afraid for Nowaki.

"No, he's not dead," Nowaki sighed. "But he will wish he was when he wakes up."

As if to verify his statement, Tsumori let out a small unconscious moan.

"Do you have anything you need to take before we leave, Hiro-san?"

Now that he was sure that his neko had seen that his tormentor had been reduced, Nowaki was anxious to get his sweet hybrid out of this terrible apartment. Hiroki cocked his head to the side as he considered the question. Nowaki found the gesture to be very cute, but refrained from comment, giving the neko a moment to think.

Hiroki had lost everything he had taken with him from Akihiko's in the raid on the park; his book bag had been abandoned at school; and Tsumori had really provided him with barely anything.

Tipping his head back in towards Nowaki's comforting warmth, Hiroki couldn't help but nuzzle into his chest again. Nowaki's heart almost burst with happiness when Hiroki encircled his neck with lean arms and squeezed him saying, "No, Nowaki-san, I have everything I need right here."

* * *

Nowaki was still carrying Hiroki as he stepped out of the elevator and into the parking garage of Tsumori's apartment complex. He tensed, however, seeing the two knackers exiting the back of their van. The small one was zipping up his pants as the large one clamored out behind him, wiping his mouth. The weasel's arousal had not entirely abated after they'd left Tsumori's and neither knacker was the type to waste a perfectly good hard on.

Despite this, they still looked a bit embarrassed when they recognized Nowaki. Seeing the neko held in his arms, they shifted uncomfortably under Nowaki's wrathful eyes. Hiroki immediately tightened his hold around Nowaki's neck when he saw them, his tail curling up protectively. 

"No hard feelings," the big knacker called out.

The small knacker's usually evil grin had returned and he added, "Sure you won't consider selling the neko to us? We'll up the price. We'd promised to deliver a neko to someone tonight." His grin faded instantly at the expression Nowaki gave in answer.

Hitching Hiroki up in his arms, Nowaki kept walking. Then a sudden thought struck. He turned back towards the two men. "If your client isn't too picky, you might try giving him Tsumori. He's not a neko, but he's also not in any condition to give you trouble, and I didn't lock the door to the apartment when I left."

The two knackers exchanged looks between them and then simultaneously shrugged.

"If he doesn't notice right away, I'm sure the Doc won't care eventually," the larger of the two said.

The weasel opened the back door of the van, grabbing a bag which he tossed to the big knacker. "Here, you take the ears and tails. I'll get the adhesive."

Hiroki shivered involuntarily in Nowaki's arms but Nowaki was happy the neko had heard them.

"Come on, Hiro-san," he said, as he turned back to the fading light, streaming through the parking garage's exit. Dipping his head, Nowaki grazing his cheek across a wonderfully soft ear.

"Let's go home."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	14. Bath

Neither Nowaki nor Hiroki said much as they traveled. As Nowaki carried the tattered neko all the way back to his apartment, both completely ignored all the strange looks they drew from others as they passed.

Normally Hiroki would have acutely aware of the stares they garnered and protested being carried, but the adrenaline had left his system and, between this and his injuries, he was too exhausted to walk. Nowaki, on the other hand, was just so happy Hiroki was finally his, he couldn't be bothered to pay attention.

Hugging the catman protectively to his broad chest, he determined that  _NO ONE_ was ever going to take Hiro-san from him. _EVER._ When Nowaki squeezed Hiroki tighter it pressed his tender wounds and almost cut off his breath. He didn't complain about this either, however, because, despite the discomfort, it reassured him he was no longer at Tsumori's.

He hoped he would never find himself in a situation like that again.

Resting uneasily in Nowaki's arms, Hiroki's mind still struggled to comprehend his sudden shift in fate. After all the experiences and rejection he'd suffered in his life, the neko had a hard time believing that someone could possibly want him and couldn't believe everything Nowaki had gone through to save him.

Closing his eyes and breathing in Nowali's soothing scent, he wondered how long he would hold Nowaki's interest before the man grew weary of him like everyone else in his life had.

* * *

Once they reached the apartment, Nowaki immediately took Hiroki into the bathroom and began drawing a bath. Once this was running, he was finally ready to set Hiroki down. With the neko standing shakily before him, Nowaki slowly reached forward and carefully removed the stiff heavy collar from around Hiroki's neck.

Nowaki sadly traced the angry lines made by the leather around the neko's badly bruised throat with a gentle finger. "Oh, Hiro-san..."

Hiroki shivered at the touch.

"We need to get you cleaned up and I need to check you over and make sure that there are no serious injuries here. Nowaki's voice was very kind. "Okay, Hiro-san?"  Not having much experience with nekos, he wasn't sure about how the cat part of Hiroki might feel about the water so he asked, "Do you mind taking a bath?"

Hiroki knew he was going to have to reveal himself to Nowaki at some point. After all, the man was his owner now. But Hiroki was terribly embarrassed about how he looked. He covered this up by acting offended by the question.

He sniffed. "Don't be a goof! Of course I don't mind taking a bath. I am part human after all." Hiroki was shocked at himself for answering this way, but it slipped out before he could stop himself. He quickly added in what he hoped was a much more humble tone, "and anyways, nekos and Kamijou nekos especially, are very particular about keeping clean."

Despite his attempted save, Hiroki still expected Nowaki to be angry with him, but the man just grinned and gently ruffed his already disheveled head.

"Of course, Hiro-san, I should have realized."

Nowaki continued to smile, happy to see the neko's fragile pride peek out again. However, Hiroki's spirit faded quickly when the bath was ready and Nowaki gently urged him to disrobe in front of him.

"I won't hurt you, I promise, but I need to see your body, Hiro-san, so that we can fix any injuries you have. And as you know, I _am_ studying to be a doctor..."

Hiroki looked down, red creeping up into his pale cheeks. "I understand, Nowaki-san."

He began to remove his clothes with trembling fingers. What if Nowaki was so repulsed by his body that he suddenly decided he didn't want him anymore? He had spent his entire time with Tsumori being told how ugly he was, and then _obviously_ Akihiko had not found him attractive.

As Hiroki began to disrobe, Nowaki put his hand up to his mouth. He knew Hiroki had suffered under Tsumori's ownership, but until now he'd had no idea how much. Tears sprang into his eyes at the sight of the neko's battered body.

Beneath his clothes the hybrid professor was incredibly skinny: Nowaki could see every rib on Hiroki's lithe frame. But more than this, Hiroki's shoulders were covered with even more welts than he'd sported the previous evening. His body was heavily patterned with bite marks and deep purple bruises from the base of his abraded neck all the way down to his bottom, and even extending onto his thighs.

Seeing this, Nowaki wondered how the neko had even found the strength to stand and he could not imagine the determination it must have taken to continue to teach.

When Hiroki turned to face him, the brutal marks of Tsumori's sadistic rage were equally visible on the neko's front as well. It seemed as though his senpai had  not spared a single inch of his poor pet. And when he saw how Tsumori had pierced the fragile hybrid's body, Nowaki could no longer stifle his gasp ..

Hiroki knew that he shouldn't hide himself from his new owner, but he could not help but try and cover himself. When he heard Nowaki's sharp exhale, he felt even more humiliated. He knew he must look disgusting. His ears flattened in dismay and even his tail curled up as though its skinny length could obstruct view of his body from Nowaki's dismayed blue eyes.

"Did Tsumori do that to you, Hiro-san?" Nowaki indicated his piercings soberly.

Hiroki choked on his next words, but he knew that he needed to be honest with Nowaki. "No, Nowaki-san, he traded me temporarily to another man who did it for him."

"Hiro-san, did Tsumori do that often?" Nowaki's voice had become almost a whisper. " _Trade_ you,I mean?"

Hiroki couldn't meet Nowaki's gaze. Tears filled his eyes and fell silently to the floor as he nodded. He knew that he must truly be repulsive to Nowaki now. There was no way Hiroki could imagine Nowaki would still want him after learning his.

He waited for the man to explode in fury over how much money he had just lost to purchase such a truly worthless hybrid.

But no outburst came, only silence.

Nowaki struggled to control his breathing, so filled with rage at what had been done to Hiroki. Any guilt he had been feeling about handing Tsumori over to the knackers was now completely gone. He motioned to the trembling neko, gesturing to the rings in his fragile flesh. "Can you take those out yourself, Hirosan? Or do you need help?" He tried to keep his voice as gentle as possible.

"I... I can do it." Flushing deep red with embarrassment, Hiroki turned away. When he turned back he was surprised to see Nowaki holding out a small waste basket.

Nowaki softly directed, "put them in here."

It didn't seem a very sanitary place to store them. Hiroki's face must have shown this, because Nowaki offered him a sad smile.

"We're throwing them away, Hiro-san."

Hiroki's eyes widened. "You mean, I don't have to put them back in after the bath?"

The hope in Hiroki's voice broke Nowaki's tender heart. "Never again. Unless you want them, that is."

Hiroki gladly threw the hated ornaments away. He was startled though, when Nowaki reached for his outstretched hand and gave it a supportive pat.

"Nowaki-san…" Hiroki's ears twitched shyly forward, "How can you still touch me after everything you've seen?" His voice dropped lower than his already hesitant whisper, "especially after what I just told you?"

Setting the waste basket down, Nowaki gathered the shivering, naked neko carefully in his arms.

"Hiro-san, I cannot believe how brave you are. You are an amazing creature to have endured what you did, and what's more, to have kept going despite this. I have nothing but respect for you."

At the warmth of Nowaki's voice and the sincerity of his words, Hiroki could not help it; he began to weep, but for an entirely different reason than any other tears he had ever shed in in his life.

"What happened to you is not your fault," Nowaki's voice became firm. "No matter what you did, or what Tsumori told you that you deserved, no behavior merits the treatment you suffered.

"Besides, Hiro-san, I told you that I loved you. I am not the kind of man who makes such a declaration and then easily takes it back." Nowaki's voice took on a new measure of sorrow, "Although, I'm sure, given what you have been through, it will take you some time to trust this. But I don't mind waiting, because I do love you, Hiro-san."

Hiroki said nothing, but after a moment he nodded silently through his tears.

Nowaki smiled. For him, right now, this acknowledgment from Hiro-san was enough.

Picking the neko up easily, Nowaki set Hiroki tenderly into the tub. Then he began to lather the catman's battered skin ever so gently with a wonderfully scented soap with one hand, while he continued to hold one of Hiroki's paws in the other for reassurance.

His or Hiro-san's he could no longer tell.

Hiroki winced slightly against the sting and his soreness, but he didn't want Nowaki to stop: the feeling of his large, warm hand was so wonderful. Tentatively he looked up at Nowaki who met his shy glance this with another sweet smile. 

A moment later, Nowaki began to softly laugh as his Hiro-san suddenly started to purr.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hooray! More Egoist comfort!
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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